New Friends
by Andrew H
Summary: The First beaten, Jasmine gone but is the world as safe as it appears? A new evil is rising and one group might not be enough to save the world.
1. New Friends

Disclaimer: Don't own Buffy, Angel or any of the support characters. Just borrowing them for a little fun.  
  
Chapter One: New Friends.  
  
It's the middle of the night and three people are crouched in the small bunks of the boat, the silence was deafening until one of them began to stir.  
  
"Aren't we there yet?" He asked stretching out his arms.  
  
"We'll be there soon. Now stop your complaining." A voice came from the door on the far side of the very small room.  
  
"I'm sorry sir, it's. it's just, why are we out here in the middle of nowhere anyway?"  
  
"All in good time Eric. Now get up all of you, we have to prepare." And with that said, he left the doorway. Eric stood up and woke the others.  
  
"Uh. we, are we there?" Said the woman on the top bunk rather sleepily.  
  
"No. But we need to get up," Eric said with a touch of hostility in his voice, "we need to prepare, apparently."  
  
"Well it's about time we got to do something," a voice came from the middle bunk, "Well it is!" seeing the harsh look from Cassandra's face.  
  
Meanwhile on deck Alex was preparing the area, marking out a large circle and inscribing it with strange symbols. When Eric and the others walked out of the door, shivering with the intense cold as the wind blew over the still ocean.  
  
"Oh please, it's not that cold," Alex said without looking up, "I thought you three were a little tougher than that. Perhaps you're not what I need."  
  
"Look we can do what you've asked, it's just we're not used to such cold," Cassandra managed to say before succumbing to the cold once more, "I mean this is far colder than our home."  
  
"I hope this won't interfere with my plans?" Alex asked with a coldness that rivalled that of the weather.  
  
"Of course not!" Eric retorted sharply.  
  
"Good now can we start preparing, before the window of opportunity closes?" Alex said before getting up off the deck and walking past Jordan, leaving Eric and the others to prepare.  
  
"Well he's just a barrel of laughs tonight." Jordan sighed quietly. "Does he even realise what he's asking us to do will cause a sever imbalance?"  
  
"Such matters do not concern us, Jordan." Cassandra whispered under her breath, which was rising from the cold. "So long as we get paid I really don't care what he wants us to do."  
  
(Meanwhile in Cleveland)  
  
"What d'you mean there's no need to get worried? We're standing on the new and improved Hellmouth, or have you forgotten?" Buffy let out a little louder than she expected drawing the attention of the whole house.  
  
"Buffy I know you're worried about it and I understand completely but there's just no need to." Giles said before being interrupted.  
  
"To what? Worry that all manner of hell can be released from right down the street? Oh, gosh I guess you're right there's no need to worry, I mean just look at how well we handled the last Hellmouth we lived on." Buffy retorted slamming her hand down hard on the table.  
  
"Okay, stepping in here," Xander said waving his hands in front of the both of them, "Buffy I think you should listen to Giles and besides I personally feel we handled the whole Hellmouth thing well, I mean, hey the world's still turning and the sun still rises."  
  
"Fine," Buffy said in a defeated way, "I'll listen to Giles but I still think I'm right." Buffy took a seat as Giles motioned the rest of the on lookers to also take a seat.  
  
"As I was saying, though this is a Hellmouth, it is considerably smaller in size than the one in Sunnydale. The mystical vibes aren't nearly as strong." Giles explained as he cleaned his glasses before also taking a seat.  
  
"So what you're saying is that this is like a baby Hellmouth, like a Hellmouth with out the nasty rows upon rows of teeth?" Willow replied with a smile, but Giles just quashed it before it moved through the rest of the house.  
  
"It's a bit more serious than that Willow. I mean it is still a gate way between this world and the next and undoubtedly it will become bigger and stronger," seeing Buffy rearrange herself as looking to say 'I told you so' he continued, "but that by no means require us to panic." As Giles finished the house sat quite for a while until Kennedy broke the silence.  
  
"So what do we have to do today? I mean do we really have to start looking for the new slayers?"  
  
"Yeah I mean there's so much more we could do, like oh we could go to a movie, I hear they're like this really cool place where you sit in the dark and they play moving pictures and they even have sound." Rona said whilst trying to avoid the glares from the original Scooby gang.  
  
"Oh sure now you've got the power you're all going to just sit around and what. huh do nothing?" Buffy said with a glint of fire in her eyes.  
  
"Buffy's right, we have to find the new slayers." Willow said as she untangled her fingers from Kennedy. "I mean who knows when some evil force will rise up and try to suck the world into hell."  
  
"Well thanks a lot Will!" Xander said throwing his pillow at her, unfortunately missing, "You just had to go and jinx us."  
  
"No I didn't. I mean. Oh god I'm sorry." Looking at everyone, "I just ."  
  
"Will it's okay. It's not like we could avoid danger if we just stopped talking about it." Faith said trying to not be over come with fits of laughter at Willow's fearful expression.  
  
"Faith's right, I mean it's only going to take time for evil to rise again." Buffy replied also trying not to laugh at her best friend's expression.  
  
"Great! Now we're sure to be attacked. I'm surprised that something doesn't just come barging through the door and kill us all where we sit." Xander said in defeat.  
  
"Hate to break it to you Xand but you've probably just jinxed the hell out of us." Willow retorted smiling at her friend.  
  
"I know." Replied Xander has his head sank to his chest, "there's no point in denying it anymore we're doomed to spend the rest of our lives fighting demons, hey d'you think there's an insurance company that would cover us for like saving the world? Because each time we do I always break something." With that said the gang all walk off leaving Xander to ponder his insurance coverage.  
  
(Later that same day)  
  
The streets of New York seemed unnaturally quiet, people were rushing past one another, cars were honking their horns yet there was a hush that no one seemed to notice but that wasn't the only thing that went unnoticed. Standing in the middle of the gridlocked street stood a man, he couldn't have been older than twenty but he had an air of power to him. He stood there frozen for a while staring down one of the alleys, he began to walk ever so slowly down the alley and yet still no one noticed. The further down the alley the more the stern look of resolve covered his face. As he reached the end of the alley, he heard a man's voice demanding a handbag. At this, the young man whispered something under his breath and proceeded to walk into the light and confront the man.  
  
"Look lady, give us the bag now before I have to get serious." The man said standing over a terrified woman.  
  
"You know threatening someone like this is just a cry for help, you know that right?" The young man said with a small sign of humour.  
  
"What! Hey where'd you.? Get out of here if you don't wanna get hurt?" The man growled moving slightly to make sure he'd be able to see both them if one were to make a move.  
  
"Well I'd love to get out of here but unfortunately I can't." He retorted as he jumped to sit on the edge of a dumpster, "It's people like you that stop me from doing the things I've always wanted, you know, like sail around the world, visit Rome, now that it's all ruiny and such, but nope can't do all that. Gotta stay here and do this."  
  
"Please can you help me?" The woman pleaded, tears streaming down her pale face.  
  
"Hey there's no need to be scared," He replied calmly, "You see that dumpster over there," pointing to the dumpster that was at least a hundred feet away, "this guy here's gonna be lying face first in it in oh." looking at his watch, "five seconds."  
  
"And how are you gonna do that, might I ask, cause the moment you move I'll slit her throat." The guy retorted coolly.  
  
"Well you see I'm not actually gonna move." And with that said he raised his hand and the older guy was sent flying into the air and landed face down in the dumpster. "See didn't move, much." As he jumped down the young woman just lay there in complete shock.  
  
"How. how'd. how'd you do that?" She managed to string together despite her body being frozen in amazement.  
  
"What? That? Easy but I think you might want to get home, you know Lizzy's worried." And with that said he began to walk back down the alley.  
  
"Hey, hey, what's your name?" The woman called out having got up from the ground.  
  
"I have so many, but at the moment you can call me Nicholas." He replied, as he just seemed to fade into the alley leaving the young woman standing in complete amazement.  
  
(Meanwhile back on the boat)  
  
"What's taking so long?" Alex asked as his patience was starting to spread thin. "I thought you three were the strongest witches in the known world!"  
  
"It takes time to open a portal this big." Cassandra said wearily.  
  
"And it doesn't help matters with the destination you're asking for." Jordan added harshly. The three witches where kneeling around the outside of the inscribed circle their foreheads now had a symbol drawn on it, corresponding with one of the symbols within the circle. Eric had his eyes closed and was chanting but his concentration was broken by Alex as he kicked a bucket and sent it into the ocean.  
  
"You know the more noise and distractions you make the longer this will take." Eric said as he tried to regain his concentration.  
  
"You've got until sun rise and then I'll kill you three and find someone else to open this portal." Alex replied as he moved into the cabin.  
  
"Pleasant fellow, don't you think?" Jordan said standing up to stretch his legs. "I don't know why he wants us to open a portal, especially out here in the middle of nowhere, I mean look where we are?"  
  
"Hey as long as we get paid I don't care where he wants this thing opened." Cassandra replied.  
  
"Oh come off it Cass, you know as well as I do that this portal he wants opened is guarded with spells and incantations stronger than we've ever encountered. Who ever sealed it didn't want anyone opening it anytime soon." Jordan replied sharply as he knelt down once more.  
  
"Hey you two could we have less chatter and more chanting, I'd much rather stay alive today, if it's alright with you." Eric said quietly as he once again tried to concentrate. With that said, the two other witches began once again to chant.  
  
(Back at the Slayer's residence)  
  
"Dawn! Have you seen my hair spray?" Buffy yelled down the corridor.  
  
"It's. how the hell should I know? I mean I get lost just walking down the street." Dawn replied with a somewhat sadness in her tone.  
  
"Hey what's the matter?" Buffy asked as she placed her arm around her sister.  
  
"It's nothing really, it's just I miss our old house, I mean it's where mom." Dawn was cut off as Buffy hugged her sister tightly.  
  
"Hey, it's okay. Everything will be fine, just give it time, I promise." As Buffy had said that, there was a huge crash from downstairs. "What the hell was that?" Buffy asked as she came racing down the stairs.  
  
"Oh nothing much just Kennedy killed the bad lamp." Xander replied pointing to Kennedy holding a crossbow and then the lamp laying on the floor with an arrow threw it.  
  
"Hey it's not my fault the trigger's faulty." Kennedy retorted in defence as Buffy looked at her with a slight glare of fury.  
  
"You know how many vamps I've killed with that before all of you came into our lives?" Buffy said staring Kennedy down.  
  
"Hey it's not my fault it's getting on in days." As Kennedy said that the slight glare of fury that was in Buffy's eyes erupted into a full out blaze and Kennedy just put the cross bow down and exited the room quickly.  
  
"Y'know Buff, you've got that look down pat now." Xander said staring with his one eye at the vacant spot that was Kennedy.  
  
"Yeah I know, but it's so useful, I mean it can clear a room in seconds." Buffy replied with as small chuckle as she sat down beside Xander. She turned to Xander smile leave his face once again. "Hey why so glum?" she asked trying not to sound over concerned.  
  
"Huh.? Oh it's nothing," but seeing Buffy's face just seemed to bring all of Xander's thoughts flooding back to the surface. "It's just I never got to. Y'know tell her how."  
  
"How much you loved her." Buffy said taking Xander's hand, "I'm sure she knew how you felt."  
  
"Thanks, I just miss her." He replied blinking back the tears that had begun to form at the corner of his eye. "How are we for things?"  
  
"Things?" Buffy asked not sure of what he was referring to.  
  
"Yeah you know food, what did you think I meant?" Xander asked with a small smile creeping over his face.  
  
"Xander!" Buffy said hitting him lightly on the arm.  
  
"Sorry couldn't help myself."  
  
(Just before sunrise)  
  
"Can't you chant any faster?" Alex bellowed impatiently.  
  
"The more you jump up and down screaming the longer it'll take," Jordan spat. "So if you want us to finish before the damn sun rises sit there and shut up!" Alex was taken back by Jordan's outburst, but he remained quite.  
  
//Soon the world will crumble at our feet// Alex thought to himself. As the soft glow of the rising sun danced over the horizon, the symbols on the deck began to glow an eerie green. Alex's face also began to glow but this was the glow of the shear delight he would take when bringing the world to its knees. The symbols now seemed to float above the deck and began to swirl, opening the portal. //Finally she shall be free//  
  
(At that very moment)  
  
Nicholas was walking through Central Park when he spotted a small crowd, as he moved closer he realised that four teens were picking on a young kid.  
  
"When we you people ever learn?" Nicholas said rather tiredly. "I mean do you realise that the time and energy you waste trying to make yourselves 'feel' bigger could achieve so much more?"  
  
"Hey get outta here man before we rearrange your face"  
  
"Yeah like that's ever gonna happen." Nicholas replied unenthusiastically.  
  
"Just deal with him and we can get back to her" one of the guys said pointing to the little child. As one of the guys took a swing, Nicholas simply blocked it.  
  
"Like I was saying you never learn." And with that, Nicholas waved his hand at the guy who tried to hit him, sending him flying into a nearby tree. "You see what I mean? People aren't supposed to fly without the assistance of a plane." The other three just stared at Nicholas in complete shock.  
  
"How. how'd you.? What are you man?" One of the smaller guys managed to say.  
  
"Well I don't think you're quite ready for that I mean you can barely stand as it is." Nicholas said as he walked past them to the little girl, "Are you okay?" he asked as he picked her up, "Lets go find your mommy hey? Get you away from these bad people." The little girl smiled and hugged Nicholas. As they begun to walk away the guy in the tree fell out landing with a small crunch. Nicholas turned and then looked back at the little girl, "You go find your mommy, she's over there looking for you." He said pointing over to the playground. As he put the little girl down, she began to run over to where her mommy was.  
  
"Man what are you? Some kinda freak?" The guy whose leg was clearly broken asked wincing under the pain.  
  
"Like I said I'm too much for you to handle." Just then Nicholas was hit with a sever shot of pain, his eyes turned white then he collapsed to the ground. "No it can't be. it's not possible!" Stumbling to get up Nicholas was again overcome with pain, this time much stronger, as if someone had reached inside his chest and was crushing his heart with their hand. "I can't let... arrgghhh!" Nicholas finally overcome with the searing pain collapsed. The other guys who were once shock into paralysis were now making their way over to them.  
  
"Well you're not so tough now are you?" One of the guys said as he kicked Nicholas's back.  
  
"Yeah! Oh look the poor little baby's trying to get up." But as he was about to stand on Nicholas's hand he noticed that Nicholas had begun to glow white and that he was becoming fuzzy around the edges of his body.  
  
"I won't let you." Nicholas said weakly as he faded away, leaving stunned looks on their faces.  
  
(Meanwhile back at the Scoobies's residence)  
  
Willow was sitting meditating in her room when Kennedy entered looking rather worse for wear.  
  
"Hey, what's with the heavy breathing and dirty clothes? Have you been seeing someone behind my back?" Willow asked with an air of humour.  
  
"Nope, just 'another' training session". Kennedy replied collapsing on the bed. "I mean I'm a slayer as well but man Buffy and Faith-they don't seem to tire out. They're like machines."  
  
"Well they have been at it a lot longer so I'm guessing they're somewhat more. buff than you lot." Willow retorted not catching Kennedy's glare.  
  
"What are you saying that, that they're stronger than me?"  
  
"No, hey twisting my words here, not fair." Willow replied with a little pout, "What I mean is they're, well, used to the onslaught of being slayers, you newbie's are well newbie's."  
  
"You're not helping yourself here, you know that right?" Kennedy said with a small smile. "Anyway what are you doing?" She asked looking at the floor in front off Willow, which was full of jars, and other items one wouldn't normally find in a house.  
  
"Oh this?" She asked, pointing to the items in front of her, "well I'm casting a locator spell, y'know see what sorts of demons we're likely to be dealing with here, being a new place 'n' all." Willow lowered her head and began chanting, but before she knew it, she was sent flying across the room.  
  
"Willow!" Kennedy shouted as she saw her girlfriend hit the far wall-hard. Rushing over to her side "Will are you.?"  
  
"Whoa!" Before Kennedy could ask anything else, Willow ran out the room and down the stairs. "Buffy, we have a problem." Willow said with a steel resolve.  
  
"What, what's wrong?" Buffy replied noticing that Willow had a small cut above her left eye.  
  
"That's what I'd like to know!" Came Kennedy's voice from the bottom of the stairs. "What the hell was that?"  
  
"Okay, would someone please tell me what's going on, here?" Xander asked, fearful of the response.  
  
"I was up stairs doing a locator spell, y'know to see what sorts of demons we could expect to run into here, but before I could start I was overwhelmed by this powerful dark force," turning to face Buffy head on. "Something's happened, something big. I've never felt power like that, not even from The First." Both Buffy and Xander's face dropped, something stronger than The First Evil, could it be possible?  
  
"Are you sure?" Xander asked in complete shock, "I mean, about it being stronger than The First?"  
  
"Trust me what ever it was it was big, powerful and extremely pissed." Willow replied with the utmost resolve.  
  
"Arise great lady of darkness," Eric bellowed as the portal began to swirl faster and faster, producing a blinding light, "We, the humble servants of Tao Jinn, the one who commands the four elements, break the ancient seals and license thee to appear." As Eric uttered the final words the portals energy begun to shudder sending the three witches flying into the sides of the boat. Alex's face gleamed with pure delight as the energy began to take form, the form of a woman.  
  
"Finally after a thousand eons the Queen of Darkness, Shalimar returns!" As Alex's words hit the ears of the witches their faces filled with pure fear, what had they done? What had they released into an unsuspecting world?  
  
Buffy had managed to calm Willow down enough to get a more accurate picture of what happened. It was clear however that Willow's fear had not been completely removed, for as Giles entered the room, Willow jumped out of the chair and sent Giles flying into the wall.  
  
"Oh! Giles, I'm. I'm so sorry, I thought," Willow said as she realised what or more importantly who she set flying.  
  
"No, no it's quite alright," he replied as both Xander and Andrew helped him up, "Entirely my fault. That'll teach me for rushing through door at any rate."  
  
"Yeah cause I'm thinking anymore bumps to the head and we'll have to find a new source of old stuffy Watcher info." Xander retorted with a small chuckle. "Well apparently no one around here's in the mood for Watcher joke so I'll be quiet now." As Giles began to stand under his own steam Andrew moved in closer to Xander.  
  
"Well I thought it was funny" Xander still a little uncomfortable around Andrew simply smiled then proceeded to walk into the living room with the others.  
  
"I assume you had a good reason to hurl me across the room like that?" Giles asked as he slowly sat down.  
  
"Giles, Will thinks that something big is going to happen. A force stronger than The First. Is that possible?" Buffy asked remembering how hard the battle was with The First.  
  
"Something stronger than The First? Are you sure?" He replied in astonishment.  
  
"Giles this is no time for your Watcher curiosities to kick in, we need info, not a little school boy hoping to impress the teacher here." Faith said bluntly.  
  
"Well," taken back by Faith's words, "It could be possible I suppose but to be sure I'd need the specifics." He replied removing his glasses and wiping the nonexistent fingerprints away. As he replaced his glasses back there was a knock at the door. Andrew raced to the door hoping to be the first to answer it but as no one bothered to flinch he was the only in his little race. As he straightened his clothes he reached out to the door handle but the other person had already opened the door. It was Cordelia.  
  
"Doesn't anyone around here bother to answer the door?" She said as she walked straight past Andrew and proceeded to the living room.  
  
"Cordy? What are you doing here? How did you know where here was?" Buffy asked in pure amazement.  
  
"Well it's nice to see you too!" Cordelia added with a small smile. "Didn't Willow tell you? I'm, well, I was a higher being."  
  
"A what?" Xander replied with a stunned expression.  
  
"You know all high and powerful," Cordy responded with a sly look on her face, "all seeing too." At that, Xander's face suddenly became all flushed and he couldn't help but squirm in his seat.  
  
"So what brings you all the way from," Willow said looking aimlessly to the ceiling, "well where ever you came from".  
  
"There's something happening and it's sending ripples, and I'm not talking tiny 'I wanna destroy all slayers and over run the world' ripples, I'm talking 'I'm pissed and revenge doesn't even come close to what I'm gonna do.'"  
  
"Well as all ways thanks for dropping by and couldn't you get Angel to deal with that? I mean we just smacked down The First. Don't we at least get, I don't know paid leave?" Xander added with a somewhat less than enthused attitude.  
  
"Well I hate to burst your bubble Xander Harris but there's no rest, and even if Angel knew about it I'm not sure there's much he could do." Cordelia said as she sank into the vacant chair.  
  
"What d'you mean? Is there something wrong with Angel?" Faith asked her voice full of concern.  
  
"What? Oh no it's just that this problem really requires a somewhat different approach then Angel's capable of giving."  
  
"You mean we, us, this group here can do this and Dead boy can't?" Xander said with renewed enthusiasm.  
  
"Xander!" Buffy said defensively.  
  
"What you all know that I'm not his biggest fan."  
  
"Unfortunately Xander's right, Angel's no match for what's coming. So if we don't hurry and jump right in it could be too late."  
  
"Erm, Cordy," Willow said looking apprehensively at the ceiling, "I think it's already a bit too late." As the final words left Willow's mouth a huge ball of energy appeared on the ceiling and fell to the floor with an unusual amount of force knocking everyone one back. To everyone's surprise the energy faded and all that was left was a young man laying on the floor huddled in a small ball. He managed to raise his head slightly, just enough to whisper some faint words. 'It has begun' before passing out completely.  
  
"Oh for crap sake". Cordy managed to say before the room erupted with questions.  
  
"Erm is everyone else seeing," Xander said pointing to the body in the middle of the room, "this? Cause if not." Xander was cut off as Cordy rushed past to kneel at the side of the still body. "Hey you sure that's wise I mean who, whatever it is it might be oh I don't know dangerous!"  
  
"Yeah Cordy maybe we should tie it up." Buffy said apprehensively as Cordy place her hand over the body's forehead.  
  
"There's no need. He no more dangerous than him," She replied pointing to Andrew who was no cowering behind the sofa.  
  
"Hey I resent that!"  
  
"Resent all you want and besides he's out cold." Cordy looked up at Willow who seemed to agree. "Can you fetch me some blankets and some water?"  
  
"Whoa! First I think we need to find out who or what 'he' is and secondly why the hell he's here, I mean ordinary people well they use the front door, not the ceiling." Faith replied moving in front of Cordy.  
  
"Faith's right. We don't know anything about him, unless you know something you're not telling?" Buffy added looking at Cordy. Everyone's gaze was now on Cordelia as she stood up slowly.  
  
"Well I know something but it's not much," Cordy paused as the gazes became sharper, "You know that big bad Willow was feeling well, he knows what it is and more importantly how to fight it." Cordy was now confronted by gazes of confusion. "Look he'll be able to explain but we need to." Cordy was cut short by a hand taking hold of hers, the body had come to.  
  
"It's okay I mean you no harm but I do require your assistance." He said wearily. "My name's Nicholas and I'm afraid the world is in serious danger." With that said Nicholas lost his balance and was once more laying on the floor. Cordy could see a hundred questions brewing in each of them but insisted that Nicholas be allowed to rest, everyone agreed, all except Kennedy and Rona.  
  
"You can't honestly let him stay in here. He could kill us all."  
  
"Kennedy I don't think he's in any condition to attack us. Anyway there's what four Slayers and one bad ass Wiccan here, who'd be stupid enough to attack us?" Dawn added with a hint of enthusiasm.  
  
"Like you'd know anything you're just a kid." Kennedy snapped, "He's dangerous but hey we let dangerous 'things' just wander around free now don't we!" Willow seeing the anger brewing in Buffy's eyes guided both Kennedy and Rona into the kitchen.  
  
"I swear if she says anything. I'll. I'll lose it I'm telling you."  
  
"That's nice but we have more important things to worry about, oh like say the guy laying on the floor unconscious." Cordy said as she found Xander's jacket on the couch using to prop up Nicholas's head. Cordelia looked around at everyone who was just standing there. "Y'know a little help would be useful." Still no one seemed willing to help this stranger, who just appeared out of nowhere. "Come on people it's not like I'm asking for any vital organs just a little help!" Cordy bellowed which cause Andrew to jump out of his hiding spot. "Finally!" Cordy sighed in relief, "erm," searching for his name, "whoever you are fetch some water."  
  
"Aww why do I." Andrew began but he noticed the same fire in her eyes as Buffy had shown Kennedy just a moment ago and he ran to the kitchen. Finally the other on lookers gave in and began to offer their assistance, apprehensively but Cordy understood- hey if this had happened a couple of years ago Cordelia would have paid anyone just to get away from helping out her friends let alone a complete stranger. Giles knelt down beside Cordelia and began checking Nicholas's vitals.  
  
"Well his pulse is remarkably strong and he appears to be breathing. I'd suggest we move him into one of the bedrooms."  
  
"Xander's is closest" Cordy replied.  
  
"How'd you." Xander began until he remembered what Cordy had said earlier about being all seeing and what not. Faith helped Giles to pick up Nicholas but in the end, Faith was the one to carry his unconscious body up the stairs.  
  
"You know G you're not looking all that great lately. What happened? You see enough apocalypses and decided to let yourself go?" Faith asked smiling behind Nicholas.  
  
"I like, everyone else enjoys poking fun at Mr. Stuffy over here but can't it wait until Nicholas is at least on the bed?"  
  
"Look at you Cor, taking charge an all." Xander said with the sound of sheer amazement in his voice.  
  
"Don't even get me started on you Cyclops." Cordy retorted playfully. "And where the hells the water boy?" Cordy turned back to the stairs and yelled as loud as she could. "Hey water boy what are you doing digging for water or what?"  
  
Buffy watched as Faith laid Nicholas on the bed. "Do you think he's dangerous?" She asked softly.  
  
"I don't know, I have this kinda weird feeling that he's okay, y'know?" Faith replied.  
  
"Yeah I have the same feeling but all the same I don't wanna take any chances. I want one of us in here all the time." Buffy said just as Cordy entered the room dragging a very worried looking Andrew behind her.  
  
"Why do you even keep him here? It's not like he's much use, he can't even fetch a simple glass of water."  
  
"Sympathy." Buffy said without a beat. Andrew's face scrunched in shock. "What? You know we pity you, I mean come on no ones that oblivious."  
  
"But I. I help out with stuff." Andrew replied sheepishly.  
  
"Yeah Buff, if it weren't for him acting all baity and stuff we'd never have as much fun as we do on patrols." Came a voice from just outside the door.  
  
"Well I suppose he does have his uses Xan." Buffy replied as she turned to face Cordy, "unless you wanna be all baity Cor?"  
  
"Been there, done that." Cordelia replied smiling at Xander. At that moment, Nicholas began to move, drawing everyone's attention. "Nicholas here drink this." She said handing him the glass.  
  
"Thanks," Nicholas took the drink and drank it all in one go, as he placed the glass down he began looking around the room, "Where am I?"  
  
"In the most happening hot spot." Xander replied but Cordy just glared.  
  
"You're at the Slayer's home."  
  
"Erm not to spoil this very interesting moment but I have a few questions." Buffy said in a rather impatient tone. "Like just exactly who are you? And how d'you get here? And where d'you come from?"  
  
"Buffy give him some space." Giles added seeing more questions forming in both Buffy and Faith.  
  
"It's okay Mr. Giles. Questions are to be expected." Nicholas managed to say as he forced himself into an upright position. "But I think we should deal with an easier set of questions first." At that everyone's face- except Cordelia's became wrapped in confusion.  
  
"What could possibly be simpler than who you are?" Andrew asked still cowering in the corner.  
  
"Well I suppose you're right." Taking a breath, "Well my name is Nicholas, well at least it is for the moment and as you've probably guessed I'm not exactly what you'd call normal."  
  
"Have you seen the kinds of people that live in this house?" Xander scoffed.  
  
"Well on this houses scale I'd probably be still classed as weird or unearthly freaky, you see I'm a God." As those words left his mouth, the whole room fell silent. There was a God in their house, the last time they faced a God Buffy sacrificed her own life to save the world.  
  
"I'm sorry. you said you were a.." Xander asked trying to grasp the situation.  
  
"A God".  
  
"Thought that's what you said."  
  
"But nothing like Glory." Nicholas added seeing that the room was still in a silent state. "Glory was a cosmic slip up, she was never meant to break free of her confinement." The room still stood silent but Cordy's patience was starting to wear thin.  
  
"Oh for God sack snap out of it! We have bigger problems to deal with here."  
  
"Cordelia give them time to deal." Nicholas said smiling wearily. "It can't be easy, Glory nearly destroyed the world, in fact she almost destroyed all of existence." The room stood in silence for a while longer until Willow entered.  
  
"Hey what's with all the long faces? I thought you'd be able to cheer me up not the other way round."  
  
"Huh? Did you say something?" Xander replied.  
  
"Hey you all haven't happened to do a lot of drugs now have ya?" Willow retorted jokingly but as the room remains in a state of silence, she starts to become concerned. "What the hell happened?"  
  
"Promise you won't join them in the land of freak-out?" Cordy said sheepishly.  
  
"Cordy it's me here."  
  
"Well Nicholas here just told them he's a." Cordelia took a deep breath, "that he's a God." Cordy winced as she saw the shock in Willow's eyes. "Hey no freak-out remember!?"  
  
"No freak-out just, you're not evil, 'cause if you are we'll have to kill you? It's nothing personal but yeah." Willow said with a somewhat light hearted tone.  
  
"Not evil, promise."  
  
"Good. That clears that up." Looking at the others Willow turned back to Nicholas, "so how long do you think they'll be like this?"  
  
"Not much longer." Cordy waved her hand in front of them and they all seemed to snap back to reality.  
  
"Neat trick." Willow said in appreciation.  
  
"Yeah it's not bad."  
  
"So if you're a God how come you're all fainty and stuff? Aren't Gods, well almighty and petty?" Willow asked somewhat bewildered.  
  
"Gods aren't exactly as you would think, we don't sit on clouds looking at the Earth, thinking of ways to have fun," Nicholas stopped for a moment as he remembered why exactly he was here, "Well most Gods aren't anyway."  
  
"So you're a God now why exactly are you here, in our house?" Buffy asked recovering from her momentary lapse of reality.  
  
"A great evil has been released. If it is not stopped Hell itself will look like a holiday."  
  
"I knew it we've so jinxed ourselves." Xander said trying to lighten the mood. Nicholas was about to continue when Wood entered the room.  
  
"What's everyone doing in here?"  
  
"New evil rising. We're getting the low-down." Faith replied without so much glancing at Wood.  
  
"Oh!" Wood retorted no noticing Faiths avoidance. "So what is it? Vampires, some kinda Demon?"  
  
"Neither". Willow answered.  
  
"Okay so what is it?" Wood asked looking rather confused. No one spoke they just looked at Nicholas as to say ask him. "You're new."  
  
"Actually he's about, oh I don't know a zillion years older than you." Cordelia added not particularly interested in Wood's input.  
  
Wood paused for a moment as he was trying to make sense of Cordy's comment. "I don't get it. What is he? Some kind of Demon?"  
  
"Robin," Buffy said looking like something very bad had just happened.  
  
"Yeah Buffy".  
  
"Shut up! Please".  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Hey dumb ass, you're talking, or well insulting a God here". Faith replied as she pointed towards Nicholas, who was wearing a very large smile.  
  
"A God?"  
  
"Yeah you know as in an immortal being whose power and strength is unsurpassed by mere mortals, like yourself." Faith replied rather harshly, it was becoming obvious to the rest of the house that there definitely was some issue or issues between Faith and Wood but for the moment they had more pressing matters to deal with.  
  
Wood just stood there. Frozen on the spot, was it fear or did he simply not believe that Nicholas was in fact a God? Was it possible in all his time as a vampire hunter, then working with the Slayer to fight The First he'd never given much thought to the idea of Gods, but he was sure they were simply joking around.  
  
"A God you say?"  
  
"Yeah". Cordy replied. She could see Wood's mind working, trying to process the information, or was it?  
  
"So you're telling me this guy is a God. As in all powerful, all knowing? Come off it what do you take me for?" Wood said shaking his head. The other just looked on as Nicholas got up and walked over to where Wood was standing. They knew Nicholas was going to prove he was a God but they didn't know how.  
  
"So you really don't but that I'm a God?" Nicholas asked smiling at Wood. "Hey I don't blame you. If I truly was a God I'd have oh, I don't know a white toga and long flowing white hair." Wood was now beginning to suspect that something was up but he didn't move, he couldn't. No matter how much he wanted to move his legs wouldn't allow him to. "What's the matter?" Nicholas asked looking concerned.  
  
"It's nothing". Wood replied trying not to think about it.  
  
"If you're sure. Where was I? Oh yeah, Gods," He said moving himself over to the bed to sit back down, "they have tremendous power. I mean Gods have been known to wipe-out entire towns at the drop of a hat. Someone with that kind of power wouldn't possibly need the help of a small bunch of mortals. I could just wipe my enemies from the face of the Earth."  
  
"What's he doing?" Xander asked Willow with a voice no more than a whisper.  
  
"I don't know but Wood looks scared out of his mind." She replied.  
  
"Oh I don't think he's scared. I mean he knows I'm not a God". Nicholas said causing both Willow and Xander to jump out of their skins. Nicholas moved in close to Wood, leaned over to his ear and whispered "Your mother says she's proud of the man you've become," and walked over to the doorway, "I don't think this room's big enough for a discussion, who agrees?" As they walked out of the room Wood fell to the floor in tears.  
  
"What did you say to him?" Faith asked with a hint of concern.  
  
"He'll be fine. I just gave him a message from someone he knew a loge time ago". As they came down the stairs both Kennedy and Rona were carrying a small arsenal.  
  
"What's with all the weapons?" Willow asked.  
  
"I told you I don't trust him. So I'm prepared."  
  
Willow was about to speak when Nicholas interrupted her. "Willow it's alright, I mean if she wants to carry those then by all means let her." As Willow backed off Kennedy shot Nicholas a stare that could only mean one thing, 'one wrong step and I'll kill you' but all Nicholas could do was laugh.  
  
"Please don't like turn me into any creepy crawly but exactly how can we help out a God? I mean you're like really strong yeah?" Xander asked cowering slightly as he finished.  
  
"It's okay I'm not going to turn you into a rat or anything." Nicholas replied motioning everyone to sit down. "It's really quite simple."  
  
"Oh I like simple." Willow added whimsically.  
  
"Simple in the fact that I know what this evil is, not how beat it. That will require a lot of planning and even more power then you could possibly comprehend".  
  
"So you're talking uber evil?" Faith replied despondently.  
  
"Think, every evil force you've ever encountered", Nicholas paused for a beat, "then multiply it by a thousand and you might come close". Just at that moment Dawn entered the room carrying a tray full of snacks.  
  
"Thought seeing as there's evil a brewin' we could do with some snacks." As Dawn placed the tray down she caught Nicholas's staring her. "Do I have something in my hair?" she replied squirming to see.  
  
"No nothing like that." Nicholas replied still staring at Dawn.  
  
"Then what?"  
  
"It's just, I've forgot how beautiful you are." Dawn along with the rest of the house just stared in complete shock.  
  
"Did you just say that Dawn, my sister, is beautiful? Cause you know I'll still go to town on your arse God or no God." Buffy retorted.  
  
Nicholas just laughed. "You misunderstand. The last time I saw her she was merely a ball of pure energy, the Key and now, now she's just this beautiful young woman."  
  
"What do you know of The Key?" Buffy asked somewhat hesitantly.  
  
"Everything". Nicholas said reaching for a snack, "I created her, or well it anyway".  
  
"You what?" Dawn said spilling her drink.  
  
"The Key, I created it", pointing to Dawn, "well you, in your original form anyway. I had no idea when the monks made you human that they would send you to the Slayer".  
  
"You created The Key? Dawn?" Buffy asked once more trying to come to grips with what was just said.  
  
"Yes. I created The Key, as a means of trapping and banishing the evil from the Earth".  
  
"But I thought The Key was created to open the doorway, all the doorways between the realities." Xander said in disbelief.  
  
"The Key was created to open the doors between the worlds yes but for a specific purpose, to trap Shalimar." Nicholas replied sensing the fear in the room. "Dawn you weren't created for Glory's wishes. You were created to help save the world, all worlds."  
  
"Oh, well I, I erm think that I should, you know, go and wash the, the dishes." Dawn said still in a state of shock.  
  
"No please stay. " Nicholas said as he grabbed Dawn's hand, "I think you should stay." A smile crossed his face, which seemed to fill Dawn with a strange sense of reassurance. "Good now we need to get down to business. Cause we haven't much time".  
  
"What d'you mean we haven't got much time? How much time exactly is it that we have?" Kennedy said still watching Nicholas like a hawk.  
  
"I'm afraid that the doorway has already been opened and Shalimar is now free." Seeing the whole room pull back at the news that the big nasty had already been set free Nicholas began to fill them in on exactly who and what Shalimar was.  
  
(Back on the Boat)  
  
"What do you mean we need to seal her back? Are you crazy?" Jordan said no louder than a whisper.  
  
"Do you have any idea who she is? If we don't seal her back there won't be anything left. She's insane!" Cassandra replied, her eyes full of fear and regret.  
  
"Even if we wanted to we're no match for her power. She'll flay us before we could reopen the portal". Eric added trying to make as little noise as possible.  
  
"I can't believe you two. I mean yeah sure she's you know what but her power is severely weakened, if we don't do it now we won't get another chance!"  
  
"She's right you know, but you won't even get a first chance." The three witches turned to see Shalimar standing in the doorway smiling viscously. "But hey at least you won't be here for my return celebrations, they're going to be a blast, literally".  
  
Cassandra called up the largest ball of energy she could manage. It wasn't much as opening the portal had severely drained her power. She fired the energy at Shalimar who simply batted it away.  
  
"Oh please like you could even manage to break one of my nails. I mean honestly do you think you, even with your powers at their fullest could match mine? I'm a God." With that Shalimar raise her hand and pointed a single finger at the witches causing them to erupt in flames. "Witches, they're so common, not even a challenge".  
  
(Nicholas is still telling his story, now to a crowd in complete awe.)  
  
"You see, Shalimar is, well insane."  
  
"Like Glory?" Willow asked.  
  
"No, Glory was insane because of the humanity that plagued her in the form of Ben. Shalimar, she's insane because of the power she possesses."  
  
"Don't turn me into a frog or something but don't you both possess the same power? I mean you're both, well both Gods." Xander asked moving slightly in his seat.  
  
"No Shalimar and I have very different powers. She spreads darkness, discourse and death, all the things I have tried so hard to stop but there are sim. arrgghhh!" Nicholas was no clutching his head as though he was in severe pain. "She's.. arrgghhh!"  
  
"What is it? Nicholas what is it?" Cordy asked rushing over to Nicholas's side. "Nicholas!"  
  
"Centrum est obscurus!" Willow bellowed sending waves of green energy over Nicholas, causing him to rise into the air and float motionless.  
  
"Will what did you do?" Faith asked, sounding both impressed and concerned at the same time.  
  
"It's a confinement spell. It should protect him from what ever is causing his pain. At least until we figure what it is anyway." But no one seemed to know nearly enough about Nicholas or what was causing his pain to even know where to begin.  
  
"Cordy surely you know something? I mean you're the one who's the higher being and all." Faith turned and asked Cordelia.  
  
"Hey I only know what they let me know. It's not like they're forthcoming with the info then!" Cordy retorted.  
  
"Invenietur." Came a weak voice. The energy field around Nicholas faded and he fell to the ground.  
  
"Nicholas are you.?" Cordy asked rushing over to his side.  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
"Okay what was that?" Xander asked looking extremely worried. "I mean you being all God like and stuff."  
  
"Shalimar, that bitch! She's just killed someone." Nicholas replied dragging himself up off the floor.  
  
"How'd you know? Was it like when Obi Wan sensed the destruction of.?" Andrew began to ask.  
  
"Man you are a nerd." Cordy said with sarcastic shock in her voice.  
  
"I like to think of it more as sci-fi aware." Andrew rebutted with a slight sense of confidence.  
  
"Didn't I tell you if you talked about Star Wars I was going to hit you?" Xander replied looking at Andrew.  
  
"Hey big bad remember!" Faith and Buffy said at the same moment.  
  
"Okay, you're definitely spending too much time together that or popping into each other's heads whilst the other's in a coma thing has really messed with your minds." Willow retorted with a slight smile. As Cordy helped Nicholas over to the chair all eyes where on him. He was a God but he was in pain, who has power strong enough to harm a God? What were their chances of defeating her if she had such power?  
  
Nicholas looked up at everyone's pained expressions, but all he could do was laugh. He'd never seen such concern for his welfare before. "Y'know I'm fine." Nicholas finally trying his best to reassure them.  
  
"Yeah I'm sure being overcome by pain is what like a weekly occurrence?" Faith replied.  
  
"Well no it's not." Nicholas retorted with a small smile, "But now I know that the bitch is back!" As those words left his mouth, the room filled with a sense of fear and anticipation. "Look, now we definitely know she's out we can begin to plan our assault."  
  
"There's one detail you have neglected to mention." Giles said, "What are her plans? Does she have any particular strategy, any goals, other than the destruction of the world of course?"  
  
Nicholas had been dreading this question. Why was Shalimar back? What did she have planned for the world this time? Nicholas may be a God but the inner working of Shalimar's mind still eluded him, for which a part of him was grateful.  
  
"I'm not sure." These words didn't instil much confidence in the Scoobies but found a spot of humour within Kennedy and Rona.  
  
"So much for being all powerful." Rona said from behind Buffy.  
  
"Yeah I mean what help can he be if he doesn't even know why she's here?" Kennedy added harshly.  
  
"Kennedy, Rona that's enough!" Giles said turning and motioning them to leave, but they simple stared at him.  
  
"You think you can make us leave, especially now he's here?" Rona retorted.  
  
"You think you could take me?" Faith replied grabbing both Kennedy and Rona and forcing them outside. "Well that takes care of them for a while at least."  
  
"What has gotten into those two?" Giles asked looking rather puzzled.  
  
"They're brats, plain and simple." Xander replied not catching Willow's gaze.  
  
"I think it's more than that Xander." Willow retorted bluntly.  
  
"She's right." Nicholas added, "I can sense a powerful force trying to take hold of them."  
  
"What! What force?" Willow asked looking extremely worried.  
  
"Shalimar, she wants to take hold of the world. What better way then through an army of Slayers. No one would be able to stand in her way."  
  
"There must be something we can do, like some sort of protection spell?" Willow said realizing that Nicholas was right. With an army of slayers, no one would be able to stand in her way.  
  
"There's only one way but it requires time and that's something we're running extremely thin on." At that moment, Cordelia was sent flying right into the rear wall.  
  
"Cordelia!" Giles bellowed.  
  
"She's having a vision, but they're not supposed to affect her this way any more." Nicholas replied looking rather stunned. "Cordy what do you see?" The stress of the vision was too much for Cordelia. She could feel everything, the pain, the terror and the overwhelming joy. Millions of people where being burned alive, buildings exploded in massive blasts leaving huge gapping craters. Within moments the once bustling city was nothing more than a gaping hole, nothing was left alive. 


	2. Connections

Diclaimer: Don't own Buffy, Angel or the support characters. Just borrowing them for a little fun.  
  
Review: Please, good, bad I don't care.  
  
Chapter Two: Connections.  
  
(Los Angelus, Hyperion Hotel)  
  
"Don't tell me, skulking?" Gunn asked a man with his head buried deep within a dusty tome.  
  
"No at the office." The man replied pulling himself away from his book. "But he's probably skulking over there." The Hyperion, once full of life and enthusiasm was now beginning to gather dust. No one had set foot inside since Jasmine was destroyed and Wolfram and Heart offered Angel Investigations a chance to run their LA office.  
  
"Hey pass us the big green one," The man looked shocked at such a request but passed it over, "Might as well do something, with business being well, non existent now." Just as Gunn began to read the dusty tome, the phone rang. "Angel Investigations we help the helpless. Oh Fred, you wanna talk to Wes? Sure." Gunn handed to the phone over to the other man.  
  
"Fred what's wrong? Anything apocalyptic?" Wes asked sounding rather hopeful. "No." the disappointment was evident even to Gunn. "There's a what? A Peruvian orb in the kitchen. Yeah I'll run it over. Okay see you in twenty minutes. " Wes hung the phone up and turned to Gunn.  
  
"So, Peruvian orb hey? What's it do?"  
  
"Well it depends on who uses it." Came a familiar female voice from the doorway. "You know you shouldn't keep it in the kitchen, I'd think it'd be better in the fires of hell but hey been gone a while, so I'm guessin' I lost the right to complain."  
  
"Back foul beast of hell." Wes said stumbling from his chair.  
  
"Wesley that's no way to treat a friend. I mean." Cordelia was cut off by Wesley's hug.  
  
"We thought you were... you know dead."  
  
"Well, I will be if you don't let go. You know, the whole oxygen issue." Cordy replied smiling at them both as Wesley released her from his grip. "What happened here? Where is everyone?"  
  
"Up at the office. You know, we're working at Wolfram and Heart." Gunn replied.  
  
"YOU'RE WHAT!" Cordy retorted in complete shock. "How could. you're. I. what the.?!"  
  
"Cordelia breath." Came a voice from the just beyond the door. It was Nicholas.  
  
"Do you two, know each other?" Wesley asked surveying Nicholas.  
  
"Sorta yeah. Wes, Gunn this is Nicholas."  
  
"Hey, you a higher being too?" Gunn asked seemingly intrigued.  
  
"You could say that." Nicholas replied with a smile. Nicholas walked into the middle of the foyer and looked the hotel over. "Not a bad place."  
  
"Thanks. But you really aren't seeing it in its best. Not that it was much better then." Gunn replied turning to Cordy. "Where've you been? I mean, I thought you weren't, meant to come back."  
  
"Well, I'm not unless."  
  
"Unless there's something big coming." Wesley answered somewhat apprehensively.  
  
"Bingo. So why the hell are you working for the lawyers from hell?"  
  
"Long story."  
  
"They killed Jasmine, ending world peace, so Wolfram and Heart offered them a job. Simple really." Nicholas replied still looking around the foyer.  
  
"How'd you know.?" Gunn was asking when Cordy interrupted.  
  
"Him over there," Cordy said pointing towards Nicholas, "well he's a God." Both Wesley and Gunn froze on the spot. "Oh jeez, does everyone have to do that?"  
  
"Well, y'know you don't have to tell everyone, exactly who I am. I mean, most people have an image of a God as being really tall and wearing a massive beard. Which I myself don't like, I mean, how practical is it, food and stuff would get caught. Talk about yuck factor." Cordy walked over up to both Wesley and Gunn and snapped them back to reality.  
  
"Are we back? Good. Did we enjoy our little escape from reality?"  
  
"You were kidding right? I mean he's not.not really a God?" Gunn asked still rather bewildered.  
  
"I thought Gods stayed out of this dimension? Too trivial." Wesley asked astounded by such a possibility.  
  
"Most Gods would, but I'm not most Gods. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that most Gods don't even come close to what I am." Nicholas replied making his way over to the stairs.  
  
"My, haven't we got a complex." Gunn retorted under his breath.  
  
"Well I'd be a little careful what you say Gunn. I don't imagine having a God pissed at you would be a good thing." Nicholas rebutted now standing directly behind Gunn.  
  
"How'd you.?" Gunn was lost for words.  
  
"God remember. All powerful and that."  
  
"Boys, we don't have time for games." Cordy reminded them. "Big bad on its way, and it's bigger than ever."  
  
"Bigger than Miss 'I'll make people happy whist feeding on them?'"  
  
"Oh you have no idea."  
  
"Well they will when The Bitch arrives."  
  
"The. Bitch?" Wesley asked somewhat confused.  
  
"Oh yeah." Nicholas retorted falling into a nearby chair. "Have you ever had a family member who was such a bitch that you just wanted to close your eyes and hope it was all a dream?"  
  
"Can't say that I have." Gunn replied.  
  
"Are you saying the big bad is, a family member?" Nicholas nodded towards Wesley, "You mean to tell me the big bad is another, God?"  
  
"Got it in one. She's my sister, well I don't know if that's the right term but we existed from the beginning and I'm really not looking forward to existing with her in the end."  
  
"So that's why you're back then?" Wesley asked Cordelia.  
  
"But I thought that when Jasmine, y'know 'popped' out you." Gunn said still watching Nicholas closely.  
  
"Died, come on, give me some credit. You really think that some super bitch could keep me down?"  
  
"Sorry, not to interrupt this nice moment you're all having, but, we have a little matter to attend to." Nicholas retorted, somewhat blunter than usual.  
  
"Oh yeah, but I think we should fill everyone in at the same time." Cordy replied.  
  
"I Agree. Looks like we're taking a trip to Wolfram and Heart." Nicholas retorted almost smiling.  
  
**** (Wolfram and Heart)  
  
The once empty building was now again filled with the bustle of people rushing here there and everywhere. So much so that no one noticed Cordy, Nicholas, Wesley and Gunn enter the main foyer.  
  
"I still can't believe you took a job here. Why? What on Earth possessed any of you to, I don't know, work for the major bad guys." Cordy again bellowed whilst Wesley and Gunn both tried to hush their now worked up friend.  
  
"Excuse me, do you have an appointment?" One of the security guards asked Nicholas who simply just stared blankly at him. "Hey, no appointment, no entry!" the security guard repeated now placing his hand on his weapon.  
  
"Whoa there's no need for that Greg." Wesley retorted seeing him reach for his gun. "He's with us. We're on our way to see Angel."  
  
Greg seemed somewhat taken back by Wesley's approach. He seemed worried, not for Nicholas's safety but his, but reluctantly he let them pass. "Oh sorry Mr. Pryce, I didn't know."  
  
"Wow Wes, you really command authority here." Cordelia said in astonishment, "Who would've thought.?" At this, Wesley shied away slightly but soon regained his demeanour. The corridors seemed to go on forever, everyone immaculate and identical to the last, with the obvious exception to the gold names attached to each of the doors.  
  
"Where's tall dark 'n' broody work anyway? It's like we've been walking around for hours." Cordy began to moan, "What are we, waiting for sunset or somethin'."  
  
They walked down this corridor and then another, finally they reached two highly polished oak doors with the gold name telling a relieved Cordelia the they'd finally reached their destination, they'd finally reached Angel's office. As they entered through the huge doors Cordy was shocked to find that they where in another large room and over in the corner there was a small, yet obviously expensive desk. Behind which, sat a small elegant woman.  
  
"Mr. Angel's office how may I be of assistance?"  
  
"We're here to see erm, Mr. Angel." Cordy told the woman sounding unsure as why she was referring to Angel as Mr.  
  
"Do you have an appointment?" The small woman asked sounding rather offended by there presence.  
  
"Erm. no, we're old friends of his." Cordy replied.  
  
"I'm afraid without an appointment you can't proceed."  
  
Wesley was now walking over to the woman's desk, seeing how much progress or lack there of Cordy was making. "Erm, Alice Mr. Angel is expecting them. He just hasn't placed it on the books," Wesley paused for a moment allowing his words to sink into Alice's mind, "you know how sensitive his matters are."  
  
The colour all but drained from her face. "Oh, right." Turning to Cordelia, "I'm sorry. I didn't realise. Please, go right a head."  
  
"Wes, what did you say? What did you do?" Cordy asked quite astounded.  
  
"It's nothing, it just well, Angel has a reputation and the people here know it." He replied trying not to arouse Nicholas's attention.  
  
"Do you honestly think that just 'cause other people are around I can't here you?" Nicholas replied looking absent-mindedly around the large room they had just entered, "God-like hearing, remember?" Cordy was looking around the room as if she was in pure heaven, the marble pillars reaching to the high ceiling, the wood flooring and the expensive furniture reminded her of her old life. The life she'd been forced out of so many years ago, her first life and that was saying something, because she was now in her third life, a life that she'd fight that bit harder to keep.  
  
"This is just amazing. I mean, look at this stuff." Just then the chair behind the desk turn around revealing a tall handsome man, wearing a suit by Ralph Loren but somehow still seeming to hold a solemn gaze. "Angel."  
  
"Cordy? It's, it's not possible you're. you're." Angel was lost for words, the woman of his dreams had returned. Was this a dream? Was he losing his mind?  
  
"Dead. Yeah I noticed. Thanks for just leaving my 'stolen' body just lying in a warehouse." Cordy said holding a stern look. Angel's face seemed overrun with terror. Was she angry with him for like she said leaving her body in a warehouse? "Oh for crap sake, get off your butt and give us a hug at least. I mean it's been almost two years since we've actually talked." Cordy's face was now full of the glow he'd wished a thousand times he could see just once more.  
  
Angel didn't need to be told twice. With seemingly no effort Angel had jumped from his chair straight over his desk and held Cordy in the tightest embrace anyone could possibly stand. "I'm so sorry. If I'd know that, I would have, found some way." Angel's words were cut short as Cordy's lips engulfed his mouth, pulling him into a passionate kiss that seemed to stop time itself.  
  
"Now that's what I'm talking about. You know spending as long as I did up there, not being able to touch anyone, talk to anyone, that's probably the one thing I missed the most," Cordy replied slowly pulling her lips free of Angel's.  
  
"They've been waiting to do that from the moment they met up in LA. I thought they might have exploded with sexual tension by now." Nicholas said to Gunn as they were both trying to avoid the uncomfortable moment that now presented itself.  
  
"You mean to tell me that you've been watching over us, all? Just how long do you watch and when?" Gunn asked wearing a worried expression.  
  
"Don't worry 'bout it. It's not like I don't have other stuff to occupy myself with. I don't sit watching everyone. I mean, come on, the boredom of some people's lives, I mean please." Nicholas replied now staring at an eighteenth century statue of a Roman solider. "You know I think I used to know him."  
  
"Not to break up this tender moment, but Cordy don't you have some news to tell?" Wesley interrupted Angel's and Cordy's longing gaze.  
  
"Oh yeah." Looking into Angel's eyes, "Sorry not just a social call, business as usual. Well it would be if you weren't, you know, working for the people who spend most of their time trying to bring an end to the world, but hey, who cares, right?"  
  
"What's wrong? What is it?" Angel asked now noticing Nicholas but the wall, "And who's he?"  
  
"Names Nicholas but," He paused for a moment, "I don't actually have a nickname, so I guess it's just Nicholas."  
  
"What are you then? Cause you sure don't smell human. I mean, there's not even a trace of fear." Angel asked now trying to outstare Nicholas.  
  
"Hey I wouldn't bother with that Dead boy, not unless you wanna stand here for all eternity."  
  
"Got nothin' but time." Angel replied.  
  
"Oh, I like him, he's got spunk." Just then, Nicholas disappeared, "But like I said you really shouldn't bother." The voice coming from everywhere but finally fixing behind the desk, the chair in which Angel had leapt from only moments ago, "I mean if you want to of course I've never backed down from a challenge before, well, not from a vampire anyway."  
  
"How'd you do that?" Angel asked slowly moving over to the side cabinet.  
  
"Oh I wouldn't do that if I were you. I mean, sure if you press it they'll come racing in, ask you what's wrong and of course you'll say something like 'hold him' but I'll just do this," and once again Nicholas had vanished from the chair only to reappear behind Angel. "Now you wouldn't want me to have to resort to any violence now, would you?"  
  
Angel left no time for any second thoughts. He spun round and grabbed Nicholas by the throat, but Nicholas didn't even move, actually he was wearing a look of pure joy. "Now I'll ask again, what are you?" Nicholas just smiled raised his hand to Angel's chest, so fast Angel didn't even see him move, which sent Angel flying over to the other side of the very large office. As soon as Angel managed to pull himself up several security officers came bursting through the doors.  
  
"Mr. Angel are you alright?" Asked one of the security guards now brandishing his gun.  
  
"Okay, what is it with people and guns, I mean, they never solve anything." Nicholas said as he picked up a small glass orb.  
  
"Angel, Nicholas is a friend and trust me none of this," pointing to the security guards, "none of this is necessary." Cordelia said trying her hardest to convince Angel to listen.  
  
"She's right. Nicholas is kind of a higher being." Wesley said trying to help Cordy.  
  
"A higher being?" Angel repeated looking over to Nicholas, "Him?"  
  
"In a fashion anyway." Replied Cordy in an apprehensive voice. Nevertheless, Angel trusted Cordelia's judgment and called off the guards. As Angel walked back over to his desk he didn't take his eyes of Nicholas, he simply didn't trust him. It wasn't that he was a higher being, that didn't help but it was something else, something darker.  
  
"So spill. What's the what?" Angel asked leaning against his desk eyes still on Nicholas.  
  
"Shouldn't we wait for Fred and Lorne? They need to hear this too." Replied Cordy, now noticing Angel's forceful look at Nicholas.  
  
"Sure." He reached over to his phone and dialled a number. "Fred, Lorne meeting." And with that said, he replaced the phone. "They'll be here in a minute." They stood there in silence waiting for Fred and Lorne to arrive. The time seemed to slow to an almost halt until the door opened and revealed Fred and Lorne.  
  
"Aaarrrggghhh!" Lorne let put a huge shout as he came face to face with Cordelia. "What the hell!?"  
  
"Well it's nice to see you again too." Cordy said with a smile.  
  
"Cordy, but I thought." Fred said slowly, still recovering from Lorne's outburst and the shock of see her standing no less than six feet away.  
  
"Hey it takes more than some all powerful she-bitch to get rid of me."  
  
"Great so everyone's here, lets get the story." Angel said briskly.  
  
"Well the same sort of deal basically but with a mega twist." Cordy said turning to Nicholas who was still amusing himself with the glass orb.  
  
"The worlds going to be destroyed." He replied calmly.  
  
"The worlds going to be destroyed, well that really helps. I mean, you got anything other than a vague statement like perhaps name, time and place, or is that too much?" Angel said harshly.  
  
"Angel!" Wesley said astounded by his attitude.  
  
"It's okay Wes. He doesn't trust me. I mean would you trust someone you've never seen before if they told you the worlds was going to end? Of course not and at any rate vampires aren't the most intelligent demons." Angel's blood was beginning to boil, he could just snap this guy's neck, who would care really? It's not like he's important. Angel could save the world without this guy, he's done it before. "Actually Angel, you need me." Everyone but Angel was now looking very confused, what was he talking about.  
  
"What makes you so sure?"  
  
"Well it's kinda a family issue." Nicholas said now staring deeply into the glass orb.  
  
"Erm, excuse me but, who are you?" Fred asked still a little confused.  
  
"My names Nicholas."  
  
"He's a higher being apparently." Added Angel.  
  
"Well, to be completely honest, I'm a God." The room fell into silence as if they'd been sucked into a black hole. They simply stood there in complete shock. "You know, I'm starting love it when this happens. It used to be everyone just ran in the opposite direction but now, now they simply go catatonic."  
  
"Well we haven't got the time. Angel." Cordy bellowed as they came back to their senses. "What is it with people and freaking out over Nicholas being a God?"  
  
"A God, as in fire and brimstone God?" Fred asked somewhat perplexed.  
  
"I need a drink." Lorne walked over to the drink tray and began to pour himself the strongest drink he could, which wasn't much as most of the bottles were filled with blood. "You know Angel, you should stock up on something other than blood and gin, I mean, for moments like this."  
  
"Well yeah, I guess so but I'm not a big fan of the fire and what not." Nicholas replied now seemingly focused on the glass orb, expecting it to leap around the room. "But that's not.well, actually it's most probably why we're here." As Nicholas said that Angel straightened up as if to say, 'I told you.'  
  
"So are you going to tell us about this apocalypse or are we just suppose to guess?" Gunn asked almost as if he was aching for a fight.  
  
"Yeah. I think it's about time we tell you." Nicholas said now completely covering the orb with his hands. "I'm sure that most of you know that the Earth is far older than anyone has ever guessed. Much older than six billion years. In fact the Earth has existed many times before as would most of you."  
  
"You mean reincarnation?" Wesley asked sounding rather enthused by the idea.  
  
"Reincarnation is probably the wrong word. It's more like, a parallel life. You all had life before you died and you were most likely reincarnated, then the world was destroyed and life had to start over once more." Everyone in the room was floored by this information. Had they actually been alive before? Had the world been destroyed? It all seemed too unreal.  
  
"You saying the world's already been destroyed. How? By who?" Gunn was totally over come by shock.  
  
"Just some run of the mill demons in what is now Egypt. But they were wiped out by the Slayer over three thousand years ago. Anyway there was a time when the universe, when all of existence was like this," Nicholas held out his hand to reveal a small ball of pure energy. "For eons this was all, but as the eons passed the energy split into three parts, though three unequal parts," As he spoke the energy split revealing three parts, two were equal in size but the third was much larger. "This larger ball formed everything. It formed the Heavens, it formed Hell and it formed the mortal world-Earth. For a long time everything existed fine, in perfect harmony, of course there were no beings in existence. The growing influence of the two smaller energy balls created life, first the Hells were populated, followed by the Heavens, but the Earth was left clean. This is where your knowledge of the world starts to become accurate."  
  
"So these smaller energies, what are they, the PTB's?" Angel asked, now intrigued by what Nicholas was saying.  
  
"No, these energies are something more powerful then the PTB's. These are the sole reason for life, for magicks and for death." Nicholas replied in a sombre tone. "And these are the reason the Earth, the universe and possibly the whole of existence is in grave danger. For over the eons as the primary source of energy grew so too did these. They grew into humanoid form and became Shalimar and myself." As those words left his mouth, Nicholas was faced by a room of perplexed faces, only to be broken by Lorne.  
  
"Oh sweet merciful Zeus, I need another drink."  
  
"Well Shalimar chose to preside over the hell dimensions, I chose to protect everything else, the heavens, life, death, and magicks." The energies floating begin to merge and become solid again but before Nicholas was able to grab it, he was sent flying into the far wall by an invisible force.  
  
"YOU THINK YOU CAN STOP ME WITH THESE MERE MORTALS!" The voice boomed throughout the entire building. Nicholas pulled himself up with a look of sheer power and anger in his eyes.  
  
"No. I know I will defeat you. No more playing around. This time you won't escape oblivion."  
  
"YOU"RE MORE OF A FOOL THAN THE LAST TIME WE FOUGHT! BUT THIS TIME YOU WON"T BE SO LUCKY!" Everyone but Nicholas was hiding from the omnipotent voice, looking like they were once again facing The Beast for the first time.  
  
"NOM EST INVERNATOR!" A huge flash of white light emanated for Nicholas and as suddenly as the voice started it was gone.  
  
"Okay that, was new." But as Gunn said that Nicholas collapsed, weak from banishing Shalimar from the building. Cordy, seeing Nicholas collapse raced over to his side just as he was coming around.  
  
"Are you okay?" she asked her voice full of concern.  
  
"Never better, well apart from the huge head splitting pain and the ringing in my ears that is." Nicholas replied pulling himself up with help of Cordelia. "Not as powerful as you'd think a god to be hey?" he said looking at all the bewildered faces. "But once you see her you'll know why, it takes a lot of power to banish a God even if it is only her voice."  
  
"Oh what's the matter kitten? Scared of the big bad voices?" Angel said somewhat lighter than before. But it wasn't long before Cordelia had a terrifying realisation.  
  
"What did you just say Angel?" Asking as she stood up and turned to face Angel. The mind filled with apprehension.  
  
"I said, were you scared of the evil she-bitch?" He replied calmly, "Kitten."  
  
Cordy was now sure of it. The person standing before her was not Angel, a trusted friend but the murderous creature that dwells within him. "Angelus!" Those words echoed through everyone's minds but really having no time for it to fully sink in.  
  
"Well maybe you're not all as dumb as Angel thinks, huh." Angelus said with surprise. But the static moment wasn't left for long as Angelus charged at Gunn who was reaching for his stake, which he kept in his jacket pocket. "Now that's not nice." Angelus replied as he grabbed Gunn and threw him with such force into Wesley, who was moving to assist Gunn. As both Gunn and Wesley hit the ground, Angelus let out a satisfied laugh. "Now that, was fun."  
  
"Angelus but how?" Lorne asked racing over to Cordy's side. "I mean where's Angel's happy?"  
  
"Well Angel was growing bored of the whole saving people bit and well, here's Angelus." He replied as he grasped Lorne's throat. "You know what's one of the most annoying things Angel ever did, besides fall in love and bone a slayer, was not breaking your little neck every time you sang." Angelus simply spun around and snapped Lorne's neck before sending him flying onto an unconscious Gunn and Wesley. "I really never get tired of that."  
  
"That's enough Angelus!" Nicholas, now fully recovered from forcing Shalimar out and was staring him down, but all he could do was laugh. "You think you can take me? Then by all means lets go." Angelus, wasting no time, charged at Nicholas who simply raised his hand and sent Angelus flying. "Come on Angelus, I thought you were the scourge of Europe, not a common demon." This seemed to enrage Angelus ever further because he now changed to reveal his demonic features.  
  
"God or no God I'm still gonna rip you to pieces." Again, Angelus tried to rush Nicholas but he was sent flying once again into the wall. "You think you can hold me here forever?"  
  
"He's right, you can't hold him there forever, I mean the coming apocalypse. Aren't you like needed for that?" Fred asked not looking at Angelus.  
  
"That's exactly how she wants it. Isn't it, Shalimar?" he replied staring directly into Angelus' eyes. "You think if you bring back Angelus, the baddest mother of a vampire to ever walk this Earth that I'd just forget about you?"  
  
"Oh no dear brother. In fact, I'm so looking forward to the time when we can meet face to face." Angelus's mouth moved but the voice was female and much colder than Angelus could have possibly portrayed. It was the voice of hell itself.  
  
"As am I, but for now we'll just have to settle for this." Nicholas gathered a small ball of energy and threw it towards Angelus. Unfortunately, an energy barrier erected in front of Angelus protecting him.  
  
"Do you honestly think I'm giving up this body, with it's connections, it's history, it's power. You've become just as simple as those you've sworn to protect." As Angelus said those final words, a huge explosion emanated from his spot sending everyone to the floor. As they got back to there feet they finally saw the reason behind the explosion.  
  
"Erm, where's Angelus?" Fred asked brushing her hair out of her face. The one once beautiful office was now home to a smouldering pile of rubble. But Angelus was nowhere to be seen.  
  
"Damn it!" Nicholas let out much louder than he expected. "That bitch is so going to pay!" Hitting his hand on what remained of the desk.  
  
Now, both Gunn and Wesley were coming around. Trying to push Lorne off them. "Oh my God!" Wesley replied at the sight before him.  
  
"Okay, what the hell happened?"  
  
"Shalimar." Nicholas replied somewhat defeatedly. "I didn't see that coming. Maybe she's right, maybe my time here has left me weak and blind." THWACK!!! Cordy walked over to Nicholas and slapped him across the face.  
  
"I'm not having you do this, especially now. We need to focus on finding Angel."  
  
"Erm don't you mean Angelus?" Gunn retorted.  
  
"What I don't get is how Angelus returned. There was no moment of pure happiness; I mean Cordy's kisses aren't that good." Wesley said not catching Cordelia's gaze.  
  
"Like you're an expert kisser Mr. Drool much."  
  
"It's what Shalimar's good at. She sees the evil within and brings it out, like a virus. She can corrupt even the most reformed person. If you were evil once, did an evil act, no matter how small, she can bring it out and amplify it ten fold." Nicholas replied now calmer.  
  
"Lorne!" Fred screamed as Lorne rose form the ground to reveal his head facing the other way.  
  
"You know, this doesn't hurt as much as you'd think but." Lorne cracked his head back into the right position, "What in all of Pylea was that and what happened here?" He asked now seeing the destruction before him.  
  
"Angelus." Fred replied.  
  
"What! I need a drink."  
  
"You do drink and awful lot Krevlorneswath of the Deathwok clan but under these circumstances I believe a drink is definitely in order." Nicholas replied walking over to where the bar used to be and waved his hand over the debris. As he did so, the debris began to reassemble. "Now this is much better. Can I tempt anyone else?" He asked now holding a bottle of nineteen- century brandy.  
  
"Okay now you're my new best friend." Lorne replied remembering the previous contents of the bar. "Could I possibly ask for a Sea Breeze, by any chance?"  
  
"Hey why not, if the worlds going to end might as well live it up whilst you can." As Nicholas said that, he waved his hand over another pile of debris and several more bottles appeared.  
  
**** (Meanwhile in an abandoned warehouse.)  
  
"My Queen, why have you summoned this, abomination? He's a vampire, a worthless being." Alex asked kneeling before a solid gold throne partially hidden behind the shadows.  
  
"You would question me? Who has commanded power like you've never seen? Who can make all kneel before me? Who has existed since the beginning and who shall exist in the end?" Came a cold voice from a shadowy throne.  
  
"I mean no disrespect, but a vampire?" Alex replied the fear so evident within his voice.  
  
"This vampire is all that stands between me and complete failure. My dear brother won't dare risk this champion's soul." Her demeanour now shifting to be more comical and amused. "Champion, what a strange term for someone seeking redemption. Honestly after what he did, slaughtering countless men, women and children, you'd think it would be the least he could do." Shalimar now rose, dressed in the finest silks and cloths ever seen. She walked slowly down past Alex towards another man standing in the shadows. "Angelus, how do you feel after being liberated from this monstrosity placed upon you?" Now walking behind Angelus placing her arm across his chest, "How anyone could curse a creature so ingenious, so devilishly evil," Shrugging as she stepped away, "Is beyond me."  
  
"Not to put a damper on all this lovey dovey emotion crap but why exactly did you set me free? Cause if it's to do thy bidding, I'm not what you call, a team player. Really more of a one man show, you know what I mean?" Angelus replied smirking at Alex who still seemed disgusted by the vampire's presents.  
  
"My dear Angelus, who said it was you I'm interested in?" Shalimar replied tuning to face Angelus. "I was just asking how you felt after what I've done. The real reason you're here has been removed." Shalimar now pointing to Angel bound to the floor by an unseen force. "He is the one they will protect, he is the one my dear brother wishes to save, not you. No one cares if 'you' live or die." The smirk on Angelus's face vanished almost as quickly as it came. "But you're not without your appeal. In fact I shall spare you, so that you may perform a task for me." Shalimar said, now sitting beside Angel. "Yes Angel, your dear friends are going to have a little visitor. Just imagine the carnage knowing that even if they try, Angelus will never again know the feeling of a soul."  
  
**** (Back at the Hyperion Hotel)  
  
Once again, the foyer in the Hyperion was bustling with activity. Books were again piled five-six copies high, many lay open at pages filled with demonic languages. Fred and Wesley were making their way through the sixteenth book on demonic Gods, hoping to find any reference to Shalimar or her plan.  
  
"This is useless, I've read this book twice and still no reference to anything remotely describing Shalimar." Fred said as she rubbed her tired eyes.  
  
"Maybe that's because St. Nick over there isn't really helping out. I mean if your evil super bitch of a sister had stolen a friend and was now waiting to destroy the Earth and probably the rest of the universe wouldn't you want to at least contribute some of that divine knowledge?" Gunn replied as he too threw his book on the increasingly large pile.  
  
"Gunn I'm sure if he knew anything he'd let us know. It's not like we've never faced situations like this before." Fred retorted rather harshly. "Pass me that book beside you." Gunn moved to hand Fred the book when Wesley jumped from his seat.  
  
"Ah ha!"  
  
"What? You found something?" Fred asked surprisingly.  
  
"Well, I'm not sure. You see it's a passaged from the dairy of Toa Jinn." Wesley explained.  
  
"Toa who?" Gunn asked dumbfounded. The noise had attracted the attention of the remaining three.  
  
"Toa Jinn was a powerful sorcerer. He was said to command the four elements." Wesley replied as he scanned the passage more thoroughly. "But this passage isn't the original and from the looks of it, it seems to have been translated wrong."  
  
"What's it say?" Cordy asked now sitting herself down on a nearby stool.  
  
"Something about a noble man, who holds hearts in his hands." Wesley replied moving closer to the book as if tempting the words to speak to him. "Or perhaps his heart is blind. It's all quite unclear."  
  
"When is an important piece of information clear? I mean do you remember the whole Connor prophecies or the Beast for that matter." Fred said wearily.  
  
"But sweet cheeks those were all rewritten by the big and evil." Lorne replied placing his hand on her shoulder. "But maybe tall, dark and powerful over here can make some sense of it." As soon as Lorne uttered those words, all eyes fell upon Nicholas.  
  
"Oh sure, just because I'm a God doesn't mean I can decipher old texts." He said, but Wesley just handed him the book anyway. "Fine, I'll try but I'm not promising you any thing here." Nicholas retorted as he began to look over the text. "Well it's definitely not the original work of Toa Jinn. He was known for inscribing a small insignia on all of this work."  
  
"That's really interesting but what's it say?" Cordy asked sounding impatient.  
  
"Well Wesley was close. It says, 'the blind shall lead the man of heart into the fire.' What that means, I have no idea." Wesley let out a small sigh but was cut off by a loud popping noise emanating from the foyer.  
  
Lorne went to investigate the noise when the hotel filled with a cry of happiness. "Faith, Willow what are you doing here?" With those words said, the rest of the gang filed out into the foyer to be met by Willow, Faith, Buffy and Xander, all being held tightly by Lorne.  
  
"Hey, it's nice to see you too but, ribs, being crushed." Willow replied somewhat muffled by Xander's arm covering her face.  
  
"Oh sorry." Wesley and the others were now standing in complete shock. "What are you doing here?" Lorne replied but Wesley interrupted any further questions Lorne might have had with one of his own.  
  
"How'd you get here?"  
  
"Oh that, that's simple. Teleportation spell is there any better way to travel?" Willow replied smiling sheepishly.  
  
"Oh, what about the normal way?" Xander said propping himself up with the nearest chair. "I feel as if I left my insides somewhere over Knoxville."  
  
"Oh you big baby. It wasn't that bad." Faith replied jokingly. "Hey Wes."  
  
"Faith, Buffy." Wesley replied in acknowledgment.  
  
"So spill, what are you doing here?" Lorne asked, still rather hyped.  
  
"Big bad a brewin'. The coven rang and told us that we should be in LA so, here we are."  
  
"Angelus is back." Fred said looking directly at Willow expecting her to blow up at them.  
  
"What!" Xander let out, "Who'd he sleep with this time?"  
  
"No one. Shalimar's taken him." Nicholas replied.  
  
"What? Why?" Buffy asked knowing that this wasn't the time to be distracted by the past.  
  
"Why do you think Buff?" A cold voice came from the main entrance into the foyer. "She wanted us to relive old times." Twenty-five young girls surrounded Angelus. All of which looked no older than sixteen. "Would you believe she even gave me my own army? Slayers of course."  
  
"Lasa obscurus acum!" Willow chanted before anyone was able to move. Sending a barrier to block the path between Angelus and the others.  
  
"I was so hoping you'd do that." Angelus replied not trying to hide his joy. "You three get what we came here for. Whilst we have a little fun." Angelus turned to face Nicholas. "You know Nicky, your sister, she's well, well you know kinda nuts but hey, she brought me out so, kinda growing on me."  
  
"Well once you've served her purpose, trust me she'll introduce you to pain you couldn't possibly imagine."  
  
"Oh I've no doubt that you're right but you see she's more interested in torturing you. So I'm thinkin' if I hand you to her all gifty like, she's probably gonna, oh I don't know, torture you instead." Angelus turned to face Willow, "Hey Willow I bet you didn't know Shalimar knew you'd be here. She gave me a little, oh how'd you put it, some of the whammy. Wanna see?" Angelus held out his hand, palm up and began to chant under his breath.  
  
Willow was sent flying into the far wall but the barrier remained up. "That's all you got?" Willow replied standing back up, her eyes now black, "Hear me forces of the upper reaches, forces of the lower reaches, banish this evil, cast his mind from his body, never to find freedom. Imperium acerbus..."  
  
"Willow no!" Nicholas bellowed but she had already cast the spell. Angelus was sent flying but the full force of the spell rebounded and sent everyone flying against the far wall.  
  
"Whoa! Now that was fun." Angelus said as he stood back up. "What's the matter Red? You didn't think you could possibly match the power she lent me?"  
  
"She might not be able to but I sure as hell can." Nicholas replied as he sent Angelus flying into a small bunch of Slayers. "Will, the barrier its failing." As Angelus pulled himself up once again he revealed his demonic features. "That's supposed to scare me? Come on then Dead boy." But before Nicholas could prepare himself a massive wave of energy washed over him sending him up to the ceiling.  
  
"Now stay there!" Angelus said before turning his attention to Faith. "I so owe you pain." Faith said, wasting no time she charged Angelus, spin kicking him, but the impact seemed to be absorbed as he just grabbed her by the ankle and caused her to spiral onto the floor. "Come on Faithy. Show us that slayer pride." But before she could move, Angelus kicked her in the stomach.  
  
Faith looked around to see if anyone had noticed the pummelling she was getting from Angelus but everyone was too busy fighting off the small army of Rouge Slayers.  
  
"Xander your left. Watch your left." Nicholas bellowed over the noise just as a Slayer was about to blind side him but it was too late. The Slayer's fist connected with his face and sent him down.  
  
"A little more of a warning would be nice." Xander replied getting back to his feet. "You know before they connect!" Xander just managed to dodge the next punch from the Slayer, which left her open for his revenge. Using his elbow, he buried it in the Slayer's ribs causing her to cry out in pain. "What's the matter not a fan of pain?"  
  
Meanwhile three Slayers cornered Willow and Fred. "What do we do?" Fred asked hysterically but it soon became obvious that Willow wasn't letting anyone corner them. Her eyes were now completely black. She had let the magicks take her over. With one look, she sent the three Slayers cornering them and the two beating on Lorne flying into the counter.  
  
"Thanks a bunch muffin." Lorne replied with his hand over his left horn.  
  
Their little moment of peace was interrupted by Angelus flying past them. Faith had managed to regain the upper hand but she was slightly bruised. "How's that for Slayer pride, dumb-ass?" Faith's breather didn't last long either as another Slayer took a swing at her but she overbalanced and Faith was able to connect with her jaw sending her spiralling into the near by wall.  
  
"ENOUGH!" Nicholas had had just about enough with everyone, with all the fighting. He summoned all of his power and let out a large burst of energy, which floored everyone. Now standing on the ground only inches from Angelus, Nicholas waved his hand over the body bringing it to its feet. "You think you could even compete with my power. No one can, not even the Bitch can. I sealed her away before, but this time, I've had about as much of it as I can stand, she's going down. You hear me!?" With that, Angelus was sent through the wall. All eyes were on Nicholas. He was mad; in fact mad didn't even seem to come close. There was a fire in his eyes, gone was the warm and funny individual they barely knew. Now they could see the God in him. As he turned to the Slayers, they went from being cool and calm to being overcome with fear. "Shalimar get the hell out of those Slayers, NOW!" Arcs of energy emanated from Nicholas hitting each Slayer possessed by Shalimar's influence.  
  
Just as the possessed Slayers collapsed to the ground, Nicholas was hit with a large ball of green energy sending him across the room. Angelus was now standing in the garden entrance, his eyes glowing red. "You think it's that simple dear brother." Shalimar's voice was once again speaking through Angelus.  
  
"Are you that scared to fight me face to face that you must resort to stealing people's bodies?" Nicholas asked, the anger still fuelling his power.  
  
"Why waste my time and energy fighting you, when it's much easier and far more amusing to use those around you." Shalimar's voice filled with sense of enjoyment over the pain Nicholas was obviously in. "You know, you 'could' try and curse him again but then, you know perfectly well that such an action would be a waste of time." Nicholas looked around at the confused faces, "What? You haven't told them? Shame on you, Nicholas is it now?"  
  
"What's he, she mean by it's a waste of time?" Faith asked sounding rather confused but Nicholas simply ignored her.  
  
"What do you want, huh? Cause if it's to destroy the world you already have the power, what more could you need?" He retorted staring directly at Angelus, who was now floating several inches from the floor.  
  
"Where's the fun in simply telling you? You have this. team of. of mortals to help you in your search. Now we can't deprive them of the chance to at least say they tried, now can we?" Just then, three rogue Slayers that escaped Nicholas's outburst exited the kitchen clutching a small box. "Ah, here's my little toy surprise." Angelus's hand rose and the box flew directly into it. "Well I can't stay, so much destruction so little time you see." In a flash of green light Angelus and the three remaining rogue Slayers had vanished leaving only a large clap of thunder echoing throughout the hotel.  
  
"Well, wasn't that just fan-fricken-tastic." Sighed Lorne. "And what was all that about not being able to re-ensoul Angel?"  
  
"It was nothing!" Nicholas snapped to everyone's amazement. "I mean, she's trying to spread mistrust." He replied calmly.  
  
"Charles!" Fred screamed as Gunn was clinging to the stair rail in order to stand up. His free hand grasping a deep wound. "What? How?" Fred was dumbstruck.  
  
"Damn bitch took a swing at me with a pen. A pen of all things." Gunn replied as blood began to flow through his fingers.  
  
"That's kinda deep. I think we should get you to a hospital before." Faith began until she realised that both Cordelia and Buffy were nowhere to be seen. "Erm. where's B and Cordy?" Everyone began frantically looking throughout the hotel's foyer, but both Buffy and Cordelia weren't among the now unconscious rouge slayers.  
  
"Okay Angelus is back, the worlds on the verge of total destruction and we're missing both a Slayer and a higher being. Does anyone else have a sense of nostalgia setting in? I mean it's just like we're back on the Hellmouth." Xander said his voice filled with a dry humour.  
  
"No, Buffy and Cordelia are fine. They're just somewhere else." Nicholas said as he paused under the 'well duh' looks he was now receiving from everyone, "What I mean is either Cordy or Buffy must have some idea on how to turn this situation around. Together they've lived through enough hardships, they're probably just thinking outside the box." Nicholas began to walk over to the over turned seat when Lorne interrupted him.  
  
"Erm not to be all ungrateful, because I'm so grateful that you did this." motioning to the floor now littered with the bodies of rouge Slayers, "but what did you do to them?"  
  
"Oh. them, yeah I kinda lost it a bit hey?" Nicholas replied sheepishly.  
  
"Kinda, you kicked there arses without even, well without even moving. I'm like wow!" Xander retorted still bewildered by Nicholas's actions.  
  
"Actually it's somewhat more serious than it appears." The faces now staring at him were filled with the faint traces of fear and apprehension. How much worse could things get? "These girls, all of them, they were Slayers." Nicholas's small pause allowed the volley of questions to hit him.  
  
"Were Slayers?" Fred asked somewhat perplexed.  
  
"You mean they're not.?" Wesley began but was cut off by Nicholas.  
  
"Yes that's precisely what I mean. They were and now they're not."  
  
"What?" Faith let out louder than she expected.  
  
"Look it was either them not being Slayers or, or let them continue this fight," Pointing at Gunn, who was still holding his side. The bleeding now beginning to stop. "And let more, if not all of you end up injured; or worse." Seeing Faith's expression, "You know as well as I do that if I'd just let the fight continue they would have wiped the floor with you."  
  
"But you can't just take their destinies away from them! Just because they're under the influence of your psycho sister doesn't..."  
  
"Doesn't what Faith? Doesn't make them the enemy? Doesn't mean they can't be saved? Well I've got news for you, these girls would be dead by the end of the day. No more Slayers, no more little girls having to fight the darkness that plagues this world. The darkness would have taken them. Would have ripped their insides out and laughed whilst doing it. What would you rather have, dead Slayers or a bunch of live girls? Huh Faith tell me!" Nicholas was now standing only inches away from Faith, the anger he had displayed to Angelus wasn't what was fuelling him now. No, his eyes were filled with what almost looked like tears, he was crying, why? "You think I wanted to take their power, their destinies?"  
  
"Hey, hey we're all friends here." Lorne said calmly sensing that there was more to Nicholas's actions than he let on.  
  
"Yeah I mean all of one and that, right?" Fred replied trying to lift the mood. "And besides Charles doesn't look to good."  
  
"Oh well thanks for that Fred. I just fought a bunch of Slayers, got stabbed by a pen of *all* things and now you have to go and say I look like crap. I'm definitely feeling the love in this room." Gunn replied giving Fred a comforting look.  
  
"Oh you big baby, look it's just a flesh wound." Willow said after taking a closer examination of the wound. "Here this'll fix it." Willow placed her left hand over the wound and began chanting. As soon as she begun Gunn could feel something warm flow over his body, the pain was no more, all he could feel was the warmth of Willow's touch. "There all better." She said now smiling like a small child who had just received a sweet.  
  
"Sure everyone gets there wounds healed by Miss Super-witch, but me, me I've got to live with one eye." Xander said with an air of humour.  
  
"Hey I'll have you know I tried to," Willow now waving her arms around hoping to catch the words as they flew past, "to heal your eye but."  
  
"But you couldn't." Nicholas said now more composed than a moment ago. "I also tried and failed. Xander something doesn't want you to have your eye back. Something with more power than myself and that's saying something."  
  
"Huh? More power." Xander was at a complete loss for words.  
  
"But I thought you were, like a. super God or something?" Fred said only moments behind Xander on the lost for words train.  
  
"Just because I existed before time itself doesn't mean that other beings can't reach or even exceed my power." Pausing for a moment so to let the words sink in. "It's like the Slayer, Buffy, her destiny should have ended at the hands of The Master but instead she lives. She's one of the longest serving Slayers and possibly the only Slayer I know of, who actually managed to defeat a God."  
  
"But that's because he has us." Willow retorted.  
  
"Yes I know but in the end she has obtained a power unlike any Slayer before her."  
  
"You mean friendship." Wesley added in effortlessly.  
  
"Exactly. For along time the Council believed, well in actual fact they always believed that in order to fight the darkness the Slayer had to isolate herself from those around. An idiotic notion really, but then again the Council was filled with bloody idiots." Nicholas paused as he remembered that Wesley was once a member of the council. "Oh, I didn't mean to. you know I'm not talking about you. You and Giles are like the only Council members that I really have respect for." As those words left Nicholas's mouth Wes shifted his stance as he was overcome with pride. A God, a supreme being had respect for him. This was like nothing Wes could have imagined. How he would give for his father to hear that a God had respect for him.  
  
"I. I'm. hon. honoured." Wesley stuttered as he was overcome with embarrassment.  
  
"Not to spoil this very happy moment but we do have the little matter of an approaching apocalypse and were minus most of our force." Came Xander's voice from behind the foyer's counter. "And what the hell did those three Slayers have in their greedy little hands?"  
  
"Yeah what's so important about it. I mean it was just a little box. What could it possibly contain?" Faith asked sound rather confident that noting of importance was in the box.  
  
"Erm. that box had a Peruvian orb in it." Fred said sheepishly.  
  
"Huh? What's a Peruvian orb?" Xander asked felling like an idiot as the faces within the room, with the exception of Faith's drop.  
  
"You sure it was a Peruvian orb? I mean why even have one?" Willow retorted forcefully.  
  
"Hey guys what's the what with this orb thingy?" Faith bellowed in effort to gain everyone's attention.  
  
*** (Boston University Campus) There was a bustle of activity going on all around the campus, so mush so that no one noticed Cordelia and Buffy as they made their way to the administration building.  
  
"Erm Cordy, where are we?" Buffy asked as they passed through the large glass doors.  
  
"Boston." She replied simply, as if travelling nearly four thousand kilometres in less than a minute was all in a normal days work.  
  
"Okay, you do realise that that's about four thousand." buffy began.  
  
"Yeah, yeah it's three thousand five hundred kilometres, and don't worry we'll only be here for a short while. I hope." Those last two words didn't fill Buffy with the confidence she was looking for. Angelus was lose, a God was terrorising L.A; well she really hadn't seen anything that Shalimar had done, apart from releasing Angelus. But Buffy trusted Cordelia, well more than several years ago at any rate, so she decided to sit back and let Cordy do what ever it was she was here to do.  
  
As they approached the reception desk they were greeted by a young woman who's eyes where hidden beneath thick strands of hair but amazingly she had noticed them.  
  
"Welcome to the University of Boston. How may I help you today?" she asked as if she were Willow on a coffee binge.  
  
"Erm, hi. I was wondering if you could tell me where I might find a particular person." Cordy asked taken slightly back by the girl's perkiness.  
  
"That's easy, who is it your looking for?" The girl asked and was completely surprised when she heard the name. "Oh, are you like family or."  
  
"We're some friends from L.A. We just thought since we're in the area that we might stop by and say hello y'know." Cordy replied with almost as much perkiness as the receptionist. Buffy on the other hand was still in some shock. Why this person? Surely they didn't need that sort of help.  
  
"Yeah here it is. Alexander Hall room 208."  
  
"Thanks." Cordy replied as she ushered Buffy out of the building.  
  
"Erm Cor, why are we." Buffy was again cut off by Cordelia.  
  
"You know what? You'd think they make these places user friendly. Were the hell is Alexander Hall?" Cordy asked but not really expecting an answer.  
  
"Well they're kinda built to. oh look, there it is." Buffy replied now pointing to an old style building. "Not bad. Better than the dorms at UC Sunnydale."  
  
"Yeah well, considering they're what, a huge smouldering hole in the ground now, anything would be better." Cordy said as she slowly made her way up to the Hall.  
  
"Cordy are you going to tell me why, why we're here looking for." Buffy asked again this time grabbing Cordelia by the arm so that she couldn't avoid the question.  
  
"Fine if you must know, we're here because he can help us find Angel, Angelus who ever he is now."  
  
"Okay I'll buy that but why bring me along? I mean I've never even met the kid." Buffy asked now following Cordy through the main doors.  
  
"Well you're stronger and well for my own protection, the questions and what not." Cordy replied now looking at Buffy as if to say 'please help'.  
  
"Oh well now I know the stitch, lets go find him." But they didn't get far as they were soon cornered by two guys. "Erm what's the problem guys?"  
  
"You can't go up there, residents only." One of the guys said eying up Cordelia.  
  
"Oh well we're here to see a friend and he's up there so." Buffy began to move towards the stairs but the other guys moved to block her. "Oh come on. It's not like we're gonna break anything or disturb the peace." The guy blocking Buffy's way moved closer and grabbed her tightly by the shoulders. "Oh I was so hoping you'd do that." With nearly no effort Buffy grabbed the guys wrists and spun around flipping him over her head. As he hit the floor the guy who was eying Cordy moved to grab Buffy but Cordy spun around and hit him on the base of the next knocking him out cold.  
  
"Well, shall we continue?" Cordy asked Buffy as she stepped over the unconscious body before her.  
  
As the reached the second floor Buffy turned to Cordelia. "But doesn't he have like an amnesia deal, no memories of the past, just what that law firm gave him."  
  
"Yeah but this is important, y'know the whole end of the world thing." Cordy replied as she outstretched her hand to knock on the door but before she could the door flung open. "Connor." 


	3. Grim Defeat

A/N: Hey sorry it's been a while since I updated. Been kinda stuck for inspiration anyway let me know what you think cause I'd really like some feedback. This chapter's a little shorter but that's because it's in two parts haven't actually got round to finishing the second but if you like it and want me to continue please let us know.  
  
Chapter Three: Grim Defeat.  
  
The abandoned warehouse showed no signs that anyone was there. There was no lights, no sounds; it was completely devoid of any inhabitants. That was until the loud crack of thunder and the bright flash of green light erupted from within.  
  
"Get the hell out of my head." Angelus bellowed waving his hands around his head as trying to force the unseen force within him out.  
  
"My dear Angelus, I have no desire to remain inside your mind, but I warn you..." Shalimar now emerging from the shadows, "That if you keep up this reckless need to settle your meaningless grudges I will be forced to act most severely." Angelus's contorted with a silent rage, how she dare tell him what to do. He was the scourge of an entire continent.  
  
"We got your little trinket." Angelus replied bluntly no longer caring about whom he was talking to. Angelus stood there expecting a reply, any kind of reply but there was only silence. "Hello! Big omnipotent pain in my arse, are you there?" Still there was no reply.  
  
"Did you she them? I mean they where like, wow!" One of the surviving slayers said, her voice filled with complete awe.  
  
"Yeah but I could have taken them. They weren't all that, I mean Buffy, the supposed 'true' Slayer wasn't even there." The last slayer replied full of confidence in her powers.  
  
Angelus had finally reached his threshold. Being forced to work for Shalimar was once thing but with brats like these who hadn't seen true power was degrading. He was the scourge of Europe; none who fell before the might Angelus lived long enough to know true fear. So before either of them could even breathe, Angelus pounced through the air and grasped one of the slayers snapping her neck in one fluid motion. Not stopping for even a second Angelus continued his movement grasping the second Slayer by the throat, lifting her into the air. Not knowing what was happening or what to do the rouge Slayer simple hung there gasping. Angelus smiled and hurled the Slayer onto a near by pile of scrap metal. As the rouge Slayer landed, she did it with such force that she impaled herself on several steel rods.  
  
In complete shock, the final Slayer stood looking for Angelus to the bodies of the dead Slayers. "You... how... why...?" But the Slayer barely had time to register what had happened before Angelus had rushed her sinking his fangs deep within her flesh drawing the precious blood, he had long to taste.  
  
"Now that's what I'm talking about." He uttered as he raised his head from the limp corpse of the Slayer.  
  
"Sufletul la el!" The cold voice whispered in the darkness, and Angelus was surrounded by a light mist carrying the cries of his victims for over a hundred years.  
  
"What!? I won't go back!" Angelus bellows fear now covering his face.  
  
"You disgusting abomination, you honestly think I have the power to return your soul? Only the divine being herself can return it. I can merely make you feel the pain of your soul. An Illusion as it were." Alex answered stepping out of the shadows. "But you don't honestly think that you'll survive... this...?" Alex asked pointing to the bodies of the three dead Slayers.  
  
"I..." Angelus gasped, clearly plagued by the soul surrounding him, "I... I'll kill... I'll kill you!"  
  
"Well good luck in that, but in all honesty I don't think you have the power to kill me." Alex moved closer to Angelus the disgust showing in his eyes. "The orb vampire!" he bellowed but Angelus didn't move. "Hand over the orb! NOW!"  
  
"Bite me!" Angelus retorted bitterly, the pain was overwhelming.  
  
"Oh I'll do more than that Vampire." A look of pure hatred now filled Alex's face. He was going to kill the Vampire slowly and painfully but most of all he was going to enjoy it.  
  
"I think your Queen might have other ideas." Angelus began to smile malevolently; he knew Shalimar was keeping him around in order to ensure her survival.  
  
"She is all powerful; she merely keeps you around as one of many means to achieving her goal. Now I'll say it once more hand over the orb or die." Angelus didn't move he merely stared directly into Alex's eyes.  
  
"Just curious, exactly how do you want to die, slow and painful or quick and painful." Angelus replied but leaving no time for Alex to answer he continued, "You strike me as a slow and painful guy really."  
  
Just then, the realisation that Angelus was no longer suffering from the effects of the ensouled mist hit Alex. "The..." but before he could continue Angelus charged at him forcing both their bodies to the ground, where Angelus continued his attack by once more sinking his teeth into the neck.  
  
Angelus pulled away moments before he drank the last of Alex's blood and turn his mouth towards his ear. "You think I wouldn't notice?" The cold voice resonated through Alex's body, for it wasn't that of the vampire, the creature he despised but the glorious voice of his master.  
  
"Why?" Alex said softly as the coldness of death was covering him. "I set yo...you fr...fr...free."  
  
From the corner of his eye, Alex could see the magnificent form of his goddess standing in the shadow. "That you did, but I don't see your point. You honestly think I need anyone, let alone a pathetic mortal. I will have the ultimate power and when I do this world will, return to the old ways, the gates of hell will open and the demons spill out and cover the Earth in my darkness." Shalimar broke off as she moved closer to Alex's body. "You should feel lucky that you won't be around to see it, because it's going to be one hell of a party." Just then Alex realised that this had been her plan for the start, that he had just been a pawn in her great plan but it was to late, for Alex's body was now falling into the coldness of death, but he was able to whisper one final thing.  
  
"Our salvation lies within the hands of a blind..."  
  
"There is no salvation for this world." Shalimar stands up and turns to Angelus. "The orb!"  
  
(Boston University- Connor's Dorm)  
  
"Connor." Cordy stood frozen on the spot. She had witnessed the past year of Connor's life, the life he no longer remembered and she immediately wanted to pull him into her embrace but resisted with all of her being.  
  
"Have... have we met?" Connor replied slightly confused.  
  
"Erm... yeah, well sort of. Could we?" Cordy motioned to enter which Connor without hesitation accepted. "This is... nice." She said looking around the room, which was covered in various movie posters and rather clean, something Cordelia never thought Connor would manage.  
  
"Thanks, I think. So who are you?" Connor asked still highly confused.  
  
"Well erm, that's gonna be hard for you to understand. You see we're friends of your father's but not the person who you think is your father, I mean you real father, the one you don't remember." Connor's face first looked as he was actually trying to come to grasps with this news but no sooner had Cordy finished did Connor burst out in laughter.  
  
"So what you're saying is that my father isn't my father. Well I'll give you credit for originality but you're mistaken. Who put you up to this? Was it Marcus? He always said he'd get me back for the doughnut prank."  
  
"Well this is going well isn't it? Got any bright ideas Queen C?" Buffy asked leaning against the far wall.  
  
"Well," Cordy replied, "I have one but it could get messy." Cordy turned to face Buffy. Immediately Buffy understood, willow had used that look many times, all of which involved many powerful magicks. As Cordy turned back to Connor, she was wearing a look of sorrow. "I'm really sorry Connor but we have no choice. I hope you can forgive me." With that, she raised her hand and pointed her palm at Connor, which sent him flying into the wall, knocking him out cold.  
  
"Whoa! Remind me not to get in your bad books, k." Buffy replied awestruck. "Is he...?"  
  
"He's alive just knocked out. But just in case we might want to, you know, tie him down or somethin." Cordy replied, "And we better hurry, who knows what kind of trouble they could be in."  
  
"So exactly how long to you know?" Buffy asked pointing to the unconscious body of Connor.  
  
"Erm not to sure, depends on how Wolfram and Hart actually erased Connor's memory." Suddenly Cordelia was hit with a startling revelation. Buffy Remembered Connor. How? Cordy turned to face Buffy. "How do you know about Connor?" She asked unable to hide the fear in her voice. "No one's supposed to remember anything about him. Only Angel and Lilah."  
  
"Willow told me, told all of us. Connor is Angel's son, from Darla no less." Buffy answered not understanding the motives behind Cordy's question. "What is it? It's not like I haven't had my memory altered before. Maybe it's some kind of mystical side effect, I donno!"  
  
"Yeah that could be it. Anyway we've got to hurry no telling what kind of trouble they're in."  
  
(Back at the Hyperion Hotel)  
  
"Okay they're all sleeping soundly." Xander said as he walked down the main staircase into the lobby. "How long do you think...?"  
  
"They should be out for a couple of days. They've had a lot taken out of them." Nicholas replied sounding rather tired himself.  
  
"Hey you alright? You sound kinda beet."  
  
"No I'm fine, just y'know a little worried. I have all this power, more power than you can imagine and, and I have no idea what's going to happen."  
  
"Hey no sweat, everything's gonna be fine. For eight years we've faced all sorts of big bads', okay none have been like Ubergods but hey, we stopped The First and that had Ubervamps. What I'm trying to say is we'll beat her." Xander replied reassuringly.  
  
The lobby once again fell silent but it was soon broken by the return of Faith, Willow and Wesley.  
  
"So this Scythe was created specifically for the Slayer? And without the Council's knowledge." Wesley said rather awestruck.  
  
"Yeah who would have thought, the Watchers Council not knowing something, My God what ever will we do?" Faith said lightheartedly.  
  
"Yes well..." Wesley was lost for words he knew that the Council use to see itself as a power not to be reckoned with, but in actual fact they were nothing more than fools, "My isn't it shinny."  
  
"Yeah a shinny weapon of death." Xander added, "How's G-man?" But before anyone could answer the hotel door opened once again to reveal two familiar people.  
  
"I thought I asked you never to call me that again Xander." Giles said wearing a small smile.  
  
"Mr. Giles, Dawn." Nicholas said slightly astounded. "Did you find something?"  
  
"Please just Giles and yes we may have found something but I could use your help." As Nicholas, Giles and Wesley headed into the office Xander turned to Dawn.  
  
"Hey Dawnie, nice trip?"  
  
"Oh yeah, great I think I left my insides somewhere."  
  
"I found several references to something known as the day of shared light. It's supposed to be a day where all the dimensional doorways align and cast a cleansing light to ever corner of existence. It occurs..."  
  
"On the thousandth anniversary of the receding darkness." Nicholas said slowly.  
  
"Yes exactly, my resources in this area are severally limited. Perhaps you know something that maybe of some use?"  
  
"She's after it." Nicholas replied clearly distracted by his own thoughts.  
  
"She's after what? Nicholas."  
  
"She can't be serious, no one can wield it."  
  
"What can't she wield? Nicholas!" Giles bellowed hoping to pull Nicholas out of his little world he's apparently entered.  
  
(Connor's Dorn Room)  
  
"Ready?"  
  
"Scared sand check, stinky herbs check, we're good to go." Buffy replied with her fingers over her nose.  
  
"It's not that bad." Cordy retorted.  
  
"Yeah well you should try holding them then."  
  
"Okay here goes nothing." Cordy took a small knife from her belt and began to carve pagan symbols on Connor's chest. "There has been unfairness done to thee, I summon the elements, I envoke them, I conjure them to do my bidding, desnd`a amadabous ocrom intenda." As Cordy spoke the final words the symbols carved in Connor's chest began to glow, first a bright red but soon the colour changed to a deep blue almost black.  
  
"Aaarrrggghhh!" Connor began to convulse and cry out in pain.  
  
"Recede the darkness; return that which has been lost." As Cordy continued the sacred sands, which Buffy had used to mark out a sacred space erupted in flames.  
  
"Erm Cordy, fire." Buffy said but getting no response.  
  
"Now." The flames that erupted from the scared sands converged above the pagan symbols, "NOW!" The flames began to churn in the air, spinning fast and faster until it suddenly stopped and forced it's way into Connor's chest through the symbols.  
  
"Aaarrrggghhh! Oh God!" Connor was now delirious with pain, Buffy finally understood why Cordy needed a Slayers help Connor was incredibly strong, he broke free of the straps used to hold him down and was now double bent in pain.  
  
"Cordy how much longer?" Buffy asked, the concern in her voice was so openly evident.  
  
"Boy that Wolfram and Hart mojo is something." Cordy said as she watched Connor's every move. Suddenly an energy wave originating from within Connor sent both Buffy and Cordelia flying into the far wall.  
  
(The Hyperion Hotel Office)  
  
"Nicholas what is it? What is it she's after?" Giles was getting nowhere; Nicholas seemed to be miles maybe even worlds away.  
  
"What's all the ruckus my little tea cakes?" Lorne asked as he entered the office holding a half-empty glass. "You know all this kerfuffle's really messing with the vibes."  
  
"Lorne..." Wesley began but soon remembered that Lorne has connections with the Power That Be, "Lorne you have connections with the Powers, do you know anything about the Day of Shared Light?"  
  
"Whoa there Wes, that's some heavy and I mean heavy preordained happenings. You don't wanna go messing with it."  
  
"We're not going to 'mess' with it; we just want to know what it is." Giles replied.  
  
"Well I don't know much, No one does. What I do know is that it's to commemorate that day the demons where forced back. Supposedly some great champion used a weapon to cast the essence of the Powers through out the higher realms which forced the demons from the Earth." Giles immediately turned to Nicholas.  
  
"Is that what she's after, this weapon? Nicholas is Shalimar after the weapon?" Giles grasped Nicholas by the shoulders trying to snap him back from wherever his mind had wandered. "Nicholas is that what she's after, the weapon?" This Giles shock him, a little harder than he had intended.  
  
"Huh? Oh." Nicholas had returned from his lapse in reality. "Shalimar's after Gomthosal." He said in an eerily calm voice.  
  
"Gomthosal, that's ridiculous! Gomthosal is a myth, a legend, a fable, it doesn't exist." Wesley retorted.  
  
"I'm afraid it's very much a reality. Gomthosal is the ultimate weapon, the ultimate power. If she gets it, Shalimar will be unstoppable. No force can beat that of Gomthosal."  
  
"No one's ever seen it; they've just met people who have. There's no shred of evidence, no solid proof that it exists."  
  
"What doesn't exist?" Faith now having finished her training session came to see what all the noise was.  
  
"Gomthosal." Giles replied leaving Faith rather confused.  
  
"Okay a little less wordy than I'm use to from you G."  
  
"If you're right then if we get it first Shalimar's got no chance of winning. Oh I'm gonna need a bigger drink." Lorne said and began to move towards the door when Nicholas interrupted.  
  
"Yes Gomthosal exists but..."  
  
"But, oh no, no buts. Buts are bad. Very bad, no buts." Lorne's excitement had disappeared almost as fast as it had arrived.  
  
"But no one can retrieve it."  
  
"What do you mean?" Wesley asked rather perplexed. "Is it guarded by magicks?"  
  
"Gomthosal exists outside of this dimension; in fact it exists separately from all dimensions." As Nicholas looked around, he was greeted by confused expressions. "You all know that there are a countless number dimensions, each of which are trying to force their way into the next, well Gomthosal exists in a dimension separate from all of them, sealed by the most powerful magicks known to man or demon."  
  
"So... so if Shalimar wanted to get to this dimension how would she do it?" Faith asked now catching up.  
  
"She can't, it's just not possible..." Nicholas paused for a moment. How could have he have not realised, it was right there staring him in the face. "The Day of the Shared Light."  
  
(The Abandoned Warehouse)  
  
"Ah do you feel it?" Shalimar was standing arms open in the middle of the warehouse, "The time is almost upon us." Shalimar smiled evilly as she looked form Angelus to a limp body chained to the wall. "I think it's time to up the stakes if you'll pardon the pun."  
  
"Hey so long as I can stake soul-boy here, you can play with fire, hey I'll even provide the matches."  
  
"Angel's usefulness will soon come to and end," Shalimar walked over to the limp body, "I'm gonna tear your bitch into pieces, how do you like that, Angel?" The limp body suddenly jerked to life, revealing Angel's vamp features.  
  
"You hurt Cordy and I'll kill you!"  
  
"We haven't much time."  
  
(Meanwhile back in Boston)  
  
"Cordy?" Connor said in disbelief as he pulled himself from the ground. "But you're... you're dead, Jasmine!"  
  
"Connor it's me, the real me, no evil she-bitch wearing my body. I'm one hundred percent pure Cordy." As those words left Cordelia's mouth Connor rushed to hold his beloved, but Cordy backed off leaving Connor confused.  
  
"It's him isn't it? You gone back to Angel. He's always ruining things!" Connor retorted taking no effort to hide his hatred of Angel. "And who are you, a witch, a demon?" He said turning to Buffy still displaying his loathing of Angel.  
  
"A demon! Me? You think I'm a demon?" Buffy seemed rather offended by Connor's offhanded question. "And he's supposed to help us? He can't see past his issues with Angel."  
  
"Connor, Connor listen to me what is the last thing you can remember? The very last thing."  
  
"The mall, I took people as hostages. I was gonna blow them up and you." Connor's reply came across so calmly it unnerved Cordy.  
  
"Connor, the truth. What is truly the last thing you remember?"  
  
"My family, my home. The lie." Connor's eyes filled with a silent depression that his new life had freed him from.  
  
"Connor I'm sorry but we need your help... I need your help." Cordelia knew that it was low to use Connor's feelings for her to manipulate him into helping them but they were fast running out of time and ideas. "Connor Angelus is back."  
  
"What! How?" Connor's face now displayed a fire, a fire for revenge, on Angel.  
  
"We're not sure but we know it..."  
  
"Magicks, when will you people learn? Magicks never work."  
  
"Erm listen here junior, whatever your deal is, get over it. We didn't do this a God did okay. You do know what a God is right? An all-powerful being, one that could rip you into tiny pieces and not even break a sweat doing it. So you can either help us get Angel back or you can stay here either way get over your problem!" Buffy just let go on Connor which surprised even Cordy but Cordelia's surprise wasn't from Buffy's outburst, she had seen enough of them in her past, no her surprise was the advice she was giving. So many times before Buffy had been Connor, the one moaning about how her life sucked, how hard it was being the Slayer, how she wished she could just be a normal girl. Buffy turned slightly towards Cordy. "Let's just go, if junior wants to come so be it but we need to go before things get out of hand."  
  
As Buffy and Cordelia walked to the door Connor was struck by something he never considered, something he was only just getting now.  
  
"He loves me, doesn't he?" he said softly. Cordy stopped at the door and turned slowly towards Connor, who was now sitting on his bed.  
  
"Yes he does, more than you know."  
  
(The library at Wolfram and Hart)  
  
"Okay I'm still confused. There's this weapon, a weapon so powerful that if Shalimar were to get it we'd be dead and to make it just that little bit more fun it's sealed away in a dimension somewhere." Xander said absent- mindedly flicking through a book.  
  
"Yeah exactly." Faith replied in a matter of factly tone. "Okay I have no idea what we're looking for either." Faith said seeing Xander's expression of disbelief.  
  
"You'd think an evil law firm who defends all kinds of evil cretins would you know make this a bit easier."  
  
"What d'you mean easier? These are like two-year-old talk to me books. You tell'em what you want and they find it. What you prefer old style research, well I'm sure Giles could fix you up with some good old musty books." Faith retorted playfully.  
  
"Oh sure make fun of the half blind man. It's not like I'm physically challenged here." Xander replied making an over exaggerated motion to his eye patch. Just then, Willow barged into the elaborately decorated library.  
  
"Guys, Xander, Faith, Wes found a reference to the Day of Shared Light and Gomthosal!"  
  
"What? Where?" Faith asked stunned that despite their work the old research methods had paid off.  
  
"Aww man this bites, I've been here straining my eye and Wes finds something."  
  
"In the Sircyn codex. Apparently, it was written before the final battle with the old ones." Willow said her voice filled with a childlike excitement.  
  
"There's more I can hear it in your voice. What is it?" Faith asked now intrigued.  
  
"Well Dilir, the prophet who wrote the codex made two prophecies..."  
  
"Oh god not prophecies, anything but prophecies they just ruin lives." Xander said defeatedly.  
  
"As I was saying one of these prophecies is definitely happening now. Listen..." Willow reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. "The hands of eternal darkness shall rise up and covet the Earth. Day shall bleed away, giving birth to death. I'd say that's pretty much the time to panic, maybe pack your bags and head under the nearest rock and hope to as many Gods as you want that you survive, kinda deal."  
  
"What's the other?" Xander asked. "If that's the bad one as people usually give bad new first then the next one must be good... right?"  
  
"Erm... well the next one is kinda strange. The first one's obvious Shalimar's evil, she wants the Earth or at least she wants something from here and oh yeah lets not forget the standard eclipse for some big evil brewer..."  
  
"Red hey Red, your rambling." Faith shouted trying to get Willow's focus back.  
  
"Oh, oh right yeah well here look." Willow handed Faith the piece of paper.  
  
"Nobel mind and light of heart, Salvation lies within hands of blind. Stripped of valor, hope and love, Gomthosal shall seek thee, nay for power nor for greed, Deaths slight hand shall thee wield." Faith looked at the paper then to Willow. "Okay so that's not the clearest prophecy we've seen, hey when are prophecies ever really clear anyway?"  
  
"Yeah I suppose you're right anyway Wes wants you up at Angel's office."  
  
"I still can't believe dead boy owns this place." Xander retorted somewhat jealously.  
  
(Boston, Massachusetts)  
  
The streets of Boston where unusually busy, cars were bumper to bumper, people were standing so close to each other you could hardly breathe.  
  
"Erm Cor couldn't we you know just 'pop' back?" Buffy said as she dodged past three people.  
  
"We will it's just there's something I need to do first and there's definitely something you need to do." Motioning to an alleyway where two big demons were dragging a young woman away.  
  
"Oh please, please don't hurt me." The young woman sat huddled in a corner crying. The two demons didn't seem to be affected in anyway to the woman's please; in fact, they seemed to thrive on her fear.  
  
"You know you never learn do you? It's always 'oh girl kill', well you know what I'm really getting tired of it all." Buffy stood at the entrance to the alleyway, a single stake in her hand. "You wanna girl well here's one for taking." As soon as she said that the lead demon charged at her, his teeth bared, his claws swinging for Buffy's torso but the Slayer simply jumped up over the demon spin kicking him in the back. "Now look what you made me do." She retorted as the demon span head first into the wall.  
  
"Slayer." The second demon knew exactly what she was. "This will be fun." The demon turned to the woman, bared his teeth and said, "I'll just be one moment."  
  
"You know what I am but you should really understand just exactly who I am..." The demon didn't care who she was he had killed many slayers before and this one would be no different. Buffy could see that the demon wasn't the slightest bit scared but she had met and killed tougher demons in her life so this one wouldn't be any different.  
  
From across the street Connor and Cordelia could see the fight. Connor watched on in awe he was amazed by Buffy's power and skill, he had only seen fighting like this once, from Faith.  
  
"She's amazing, she's like wow!"  
  
"Yep definitely genetic." Cordy simply replied.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You are your dad's son, both of you are completely love-struck by the presence of a Slayer."  
  
"But I thought Faith... she's dead." Connor said realizing that there is only one Slayer, when one dies the next is called.  
  
"What, Faith's not dead. Why would you...? Oh sorry forgot the whole no memory thing, yeah well last year Buffy changed the rules there are way more Slayers now." Cordy explained but just then, one of the demons came flying out of the alleyway with a stake embedded deeply into his skull.  
  
"She's gonna need...." Connor began to run off but Cordy grabbed his arm holding him back.  
  
"Connor some things you have to do on your own."  
  
"But she doesn't..."  
  
"Connor trust me, everything will be fine."  
  
"Aww what's the matter Slayer lost something?" The remaining demon was now reeling in the fact that the Slayer was defenseless, "Now weapons, no hope..."  
  
"Hey I know this one, this is where you say take all that away and what's left and this is where I..." Buffy leaped into the air with such force and speed all the demon could see was a blur of colour. "Hey behind you." Buffy had landed directly behind the demon but leaving no time for him to respond Buffy kicked out both of his kneecaps with one fluid motion forcing the oversized demon to the ground. Buffy quickly looked around for anything that she could use as a weapon, when she spotted it, a shard of glass just the right size.  
  
"You end is near. Her power will blanket the Earth and all will be destroyed." The demon just stood there as Buffy used the glass shard to decapitate him.  
  
"Well good to know." Buffy retorted as she walked over to the young woman. "Hey you okay?" Still overwhelmed by fear the young woman could only nod.  
  
"Buffy here let me." Cordy moved into position directly in front of her, held out her hand for her to take it. "Erase from her mind memories grim, of resents slights of sin, Tabula Rasa, Tabula Rasa, Tabula Rasa."  
  
"What you do?" Connor asked already knowing the answer.  
  
"She erased her memory." Buffy replied somberly.  
  
"There are times when things like this need to be done. If she can't remember she'll be safer, you know I'm right."  
  
"Yeah but it's wrong, messing with people's memories it's just wrong." Buffy replied.  
  
"What did it mean the end is near?" Connor asked looking at the headless corpse on the ground.  
  
"You heard that? Wow good hearing." Buffy was impressed with Connor's abilities, not even a Slayer would have heard that from the other side of the street. "Y'know same old bad guy talk, I'm gonna kill you blah, blah, blah, darkness will blah, blah, blah."  
  
"Oh."  
  
No sooner had Cordelia stood up was she once again confronted by a vision, this time stronger, faster and with a greater intensity than any vision she had ever seen.  
  
"Oh God, Buffy!" 


End file.
